Warriors Book 4: Spirit
by EnlightenShadow
Summary: Bramblestar has been killed, and Stormstar is now the leader of Thunderclan. Hollypaw, Jaypaw, and Lionpaw must now discover their destinies, but danger lurks around every corner... So is Tigerstar... (Sequel to Warriors Book 3: Torn)
1. Prologue

A cool breeze brushed against the branches of the tree overhead as the sun pierced the green leaves. The sound of the river echoed between each tree as four cats padded out of the green bushes, their pelts shining in the sunlight. All four cats padded toward the river, and began to drink from it when one of them took a step back.

"What is it?" The red-brown tom asked the blue she-cat.

The blue she-cat's eyes were widened, almost in fear, but mostly in surprise and bewilderment.

"What is it?" The red-brown tom asked again, seeming a little irritated.

"It… It…" The she-cat only stammered.

After a heart-beat, the orange colored tom spoke. "Bluestar, we need to know-"

"I get it Fireheart!" Bluestar shouted, then turned to the water again. "I'm trying to… Something is going on. The clans are in more danger than we feared, and the three may not be able to stop it."

"What are you talking about?" the fourth cat asked, his dark tabby pelt almost camouflaging him within the shadow of the tree nearby. "The three are here now, and they were meant to stop him. What can't they stop?"

Bluestar looked to the dark tabby. "War."

The simple word seemed to shake each cat to their core. "Redtail, Bramblestar, Fireheart, we need to warn Stormstar of what is to happen," Bluestar meowed. "If we don't, she may not be able to stop this war before it starts."

"If we know the war is going to start," Bramblestar replied, "then there is nothing we can do to stop it. Only warn. Bluestar," Bramblestar stared at the blue she-cat with an intense, amber gaze. "You know that if something has been prophesized to happen, it's _going_ to happen, whether you like it or not."

Bluestar returned Bramblestar's gaze, meowing, "When did you ever get any wisdom?"

Bramblestar only smiled. "You learn a few things in Starclan, and I learned that prophecies aren't meant to be avoided. They're meant as warnings…"

 _(Author's Note)_

 _You all ready for book 4?_


	2. Chapter 1

Two moons had passed since Hollypaw had gotten her apprentice name, and her temporary mentor was Dustflash, Bramblestar's son. Hollypaw remembered little of Bramblestar when he was leader, and not many actually talked about the dark tabby. The first memory Hollypaw had was when Bramblestar called a clan meeting, but didn't remember much after that.

Dustflash was padding below Hollypaw on the forest floor, whereas Hollypaw was in the tree. Today, Hollypaw's lesson was about sneak attacking, and the fact that it was dusk made everything a little easier. Since Hollypaw's pelt was pure black, she could hide easily among the shadow's.

Hollypaw sat in wait as Dustflash sniffed around. No one in Thunderclan had actually trained to sneak attack in trees, and Hollypaw was ready to show her skills. Silently, she creeped through the tree, which was almost stripped bare of all it's leaves because of how close it was to leaf-bare.

 _Just another moon until I experience my first leaf-bare that Stormstar talked about,_ Hollypaw thought. Keeping light on her claws, she jumped to another tree on the opposite side of the path. She barely made any noise and Dustflash didn't even twitch a whisker as he padded along the path. _Good, now I'm downwind of him,_ Hollypaw thought happily. The wind kept changing direction, and Hollypaw had to constantly leap from tree to tree to avoid being upwind.

 _Mouse-dung!_ Hollypaw almost spat when the wind changed again, and she quickly leaped from tree to tree. _This must be what squirrels feel like-_ Hollypaw slipped on one of the wet branches of an oak, and almost fell until she dug each of her claws into the slippery bark. It had rained the other night, and all the trees still hadn't dried. _I need to be more careful… That might be my mistake._

Then she found a clear spot in the branches where she could sneak attack Dustflash, since he was heading straight below it. Watching his every movement, and tracking Dustflash was easy. The beginning of the training session started off as a tracking session, and Dustflash challenged the black apprentice to perform a sneak attack. Lionpaw and Jaypaw were still practicing fighting in the training hollow.

 _Jaypaw seems to be off lately,_ Hollypaw thought, remembering their last training session. Brightheart was teaching him to dodge, and Jaypaw had the moves down, but he wasn't fast enough. Jaypaw's thought's always seemed away from the present.

Dustflash looked around, and took another sniff, and twitched his whiskers. "Such a simple training session, and I'm being fooled by an apprentice," Dustflash chuckled. "She hasn't even been trained by her actual mentor yet! I'll have to tell her how good Hollypaw is doing," Dustflash whispered, and took a sharp left, heading toward the water.

 _Mouse-dung!_ Hollypaw thought. _If he gets to the water before I'm able to sneak attack him, he'll have total field advantage._ Hollypaw's thoughts whirled ahead of her as she heard Dustflash's footsteps slow down. _I'm upwind, if I stay this way any longer, Dustflash will notice._

Quickly jumping to another, tree, Hollypaw climbed down the trunk and quickly went around Dustflash, who still couldn't scent her. Dustflash searched for a few more heart-beats, and Hollypaw padded away, back up another tree, and went a little ways ahead towards the lake. As expected, when she landed on another branch, Dustflash twitched his ear and turned to the tree Hollypaw sat in.

Lying very still, Hollypaw watched Dustflash's reaction. Dustflash's gray and brown pelt lie absolutely still, and Hollypaw followed his gaze. Under the bush directly under the tree she lie in, was a mouse. Looking thoughtful, Hollypaw clawed a piece of bark off, and dropped it next to the mouse, sending it running directly to Dustflash, who caught it.

"I thought you were Hollypaw!" Dustflash meowed. "I wonder if she's actually found me…" Dustflash looked around thoughtfully, but still didn't see Hollypaw's black pelt. Then Dustflash went to take off towards the lake again, and instead of walking, he burst into a run.

 _Now's my chance!_ Hollypaw thought, and jumped from the tree. Dustflash heard her and quickly turned his head. Hollypaw didn't give him a chance to react, and bowled over the tom. Dustflash lie on the dusty ground, dazed, and Hollypaw started to laugh.

"Where did you jump from?" Dustflash meowed, sounding a little nauseated.

Hollypaw started to laugh. "I was hiding within the trees," she meowed.

"It's a wonder I never caught a whiff of your scent," Dustflash coughed as he stood up, picking up the mouse. Then he dropped it in front of Hollypaw. "You deserve it," Dustflash meowed. "I have one question, how long did you follow me?"

Chuckling, Hollypaw mewed, "A long time. You never gave me an opening to do the sneak attack. I had one planned earlier, but you started heading toward the lake." Hollypaw bit into the mouse and chewed away, happy to satisfy her hunger. "There was an opening in the lowest branches, right where I could've landed directly on top of you. But that's when you turned."

Dustflash rolled his eyes, and meowed, "I should give your actual mentor a report on how good you're doing."

"I already heard what you said earlier," Hollypaw meowed. "That's not news to me now." _I'm completely lying to myself_ , Hollypaw wanted to laugh. _I can't wait for Stormstar to hear how well I've done!_ "Have you seen how Shardkit is doing?" Hollypaw asked, curious.

Hollypaw last saw Shardkit messing with Graystripe, and everyone said how much Shardkit looked like Shardfeather, who Hollypaw only met a couple times when he lived in the clan a few moons before. Sometimes, when Shardfeather's name was mentioned, Stormstar sometimes seemed lost in memories, and would forget others were talking to her.

"Shardkit is doing fine, why?" Dustflash meowed.

"Who was Shardfeather?" Hollypaw asked the young warrior. "Whenever someone mentions him, Stormstar seems off."

Dustflash chuckled. "Shardfeather was a noble cat, I'll admit. Originally, he fell in love with Stormstar before she was truly a part of the clan, at least, that's what my father told me before he died." Dustflash's eyes flashed with some sort of uncertain emotion, but it quickly subsided as quick as it had come. "During the final battle between the clans and Bloodclan, Shardfeather entered the abandoned twoleg nest in an attempt to find and kill Scar, who had tormented Stormstar's mind for moons. Shardfeather had already injured Scar, and Stormstar followed them into the twoleg nest. Somewhere on the other side of the twoleg nest, a fire started, and no one knows how, but the only one to jump out of the fire was Stormstar. When the fire was gone, Bramblestar checked, and inside were three charcoaled bodies. One was Shardfeather, and the other two were presumed to be Scar and Scourge. Don't tell Stormstar about Shardfeather. No one told her, and I probably shouldn't have told you," Dustflash finished.

"Then why did you tell me?" Hollypaw asked.

"Because you asked, and you deserve to know. I would say your brothers do, but Jaypaw seems to know everything, so I never bother telling him," Dustflash explained. "Speaking of which, I should find out which patrol I'm going on. Maybe I'll get you to wake up in the morning and we can go on the dawn patrol."

Hollypaw's heart was beating with excitement. "Then again," Dustflash smiled, "maybe I'll force Stormstar to give you a fighting lesson. She needs to."

Smiling, Hollypaw stood up and they padded back to the training ground to see if Jaypaw and Lionpaw were still training. Sure enough, Hollypaw saw them fighting each other in the center of the clearing, and Hollypaw noticed that Jaypaw was trying one of the more advanced moves. _Since he can't see, he doesn't need to look at a spot on his opponent and give away what he's doing. It would be impossible for the opponent to tell where the blow lands…_

In a heart-beat, the tides of the fight turned, and Lionpaw had Jaypaw on the ground, directly on his back. "You might want to try again," Lionpaw meowed, a frown across his face.

"I know you aren't trying your hardest," Jaypaw meowed as Lionpaw released his grip. "You should try your hardest, even against me. I don't care if you pity me because I'm blind, try your _hardest_." Jaypaw was off on one of his speeches about being blind again, and Hollypaw sighed.

"Jaypaw," Hollypaw meowed, "if you want to fight someone who will try their hardest, fight me." Jaypaw nodded.

"At least someone respects me," Jaypaw growled, aiming the retort towards his brother. "Let's do it." Hollypaw sat completely still, and Jaypaw meowed, "Well, you going to come after me?"

"Not yet," Hollypaw smiled. "If you can't see me, then you will need to hear or scent me. You won't be able to." Hollypaw crawled around Jaypaw, who stood in one place, scenting every few seconds and twitching his ears.

"You're smart Hollypaw," Jaypaw smiled. "Lionpaw, you could learn a thing or two from her. Blocking my hearing and sense of smell by staying downwind at all times in a fight. Too bad the shuffling of her paws gave her away-" Jaypaw whirled and swung directly at Hollypaw, and she jumped back. "This, is a real challenge."

Jaypaw's blinds eyes rested on Hollypaw, and she felt uncomfortable under the bright blue gaze. _I have to take a different approach,_ Hollypaw thought, feeling the gazes of Lionpaw and Dustflash on her. _I can't move without Jaypaw hearing, and I should stay upwind of him so he can't scent me_.

Jaypaw took another swing and almost struck Hollypaw directly on her shoulder when Hollypaw wasn't fast enough. Hollypaw rolled with the blow, and stood on all four paws, counterattacking Jaypaw and striking his side. Without a second thought, Jaypaw jumped, and landed out of Hollypaw's reach, keeping his gaze directed at her.

"As I said Lionblaze, try, and I feel much better fighting," Jaypaw hissed, giving a smile.

"That's enough, Jaypaw," Brightheart's voice came from the bushes. In a heart-beat, Brightheart came from the bushes with three pieces of prey. "Lionpaw, Slyheart has some deputy work to do, so he won't be back to finish our training session." Brightheart dropped the three pieces of prey in front of the group. "Sorry," she meowed, turning to Dustflash and Hollypaw, "I didn't know when you'd be back."

"It's fine," Dustflash chuckled. "Hollypaw and I ate a little bit ago."

Brightheart nodded, and the two apprentices picked up a mouse and a thrush.

"How did Hollypaw's tracking training go?" Brightheart asked.

"Well," Dustflash started, "I challenged Hollypaw to sneak attack me. She did very well, and stayed downwind the entire time." Dustflash flashed Hollypaw a look of pride. "What she did though surprised even I."

"What'd she do?" Now, Hollypaw's two brothers were listening in on the conversation.

"Mostly, or the entire time, she was hiding up in the trees," Dustflash meowed. "I didn't expect her to do so, and it also helped her stay out of my sight and scent range."

Jaypaw and Lionpaw looked over to Hollypaw. "That was a nice idea," they meowed in unison, and they both looked at each other and started to laugh. Hollypaw rolled her eyes as the two mentors started to chuckle at the two laughing apprentices.

Both the mentors leaned in and started to whisper as Hollypaw's ear twitched.

"How is Jaypaw doing?" Dustflash asked Brightheart.

"I was going to asked you the same thing," Brightheart meowed. "How did Hollypaw fare against Jaypaw? What was that thing about _trying_?"

Dustflash glanced at the three apprentices, then back to Brightheart. "Jaypaw says that he feels much better fighting when someone tries to fight him while doing as little as possible to fight. They're going to easy on him and he _notices_ , I feel he isn't blind sometimes. Like he sees more than he's letting on." Dustflash shuddered at the edge of Hollypaw's vision. "But Jaypaw did better fighting Hollypaw than Lionpaw. He needs a challenge, and I have one for him. I will tell you later."

The two mentors looked back to the apprentices. "Let's head back to camp, it's going to be dark soon, and Hollypaw is taking dawn patrol with me tomorrow. Slyheart won't appreciate sleeping in for the dawn patrol!" Hollypaw stretched, and began to pad after the two members as Jaypaw and Lionpaw fell in step behind her.

 _I feel as if I'm leading them somewhere…_ Hollypaw thought. _But where are we headed?_

That night, dreams of a black tom with green eyes haunted Hollypaw. When she woke up that morning, all she could remember was Storm's words when they first went out, and that black cat that looked exactly like her. Hollypaw never knew who her father was, but she wanted to find out. The curiosity was too great to ignore.

Getting up and out of the apprentices den, Hollypaw noticed Stormstar staring at the stars. In the distance, the moon was setting, and its rays were casting shadows that danced in the clearing. _If anyone knows who my father is, Stormstar does,_ Hollypaw thought. _I'm pretty sure Cinderheart wouldn't tell me…_ Stormstar's gaze met Hollypaw's, and she flinched. The blue gaze seemed full of wisdom. Padding towards the brown she-cat, Hollypaw felt anxiety at the answers she might receive. _What if she doesn't give me any answers?_

"Something wrong Hollypaw?" Stormstar asked, still looking at the stars. "You know you're up for dawn patrol soon, you should get your rest."

Hollypaw took a deep breath. "Who is my father?" Hollypaw asked, feeling her heart beat a little faster.

Stormstar looked at Hollypaw, and frowned. "I… I can't answer that," Stormstar stammered. "That's for your mother to tell you. I, however, made a promise that I would tell you. Cinderheart told me she would tell you one day."

"Was it that one cat we saw that day?" Hollypaw pressed, watching for some sort of reaction. Stormstar just looked toward the warriors den, right where the gray she-cat was padding out of the den.

"There's your mother, ask her now," Stormstar meowed, and padded into her den. _Of course I don't get an answer,_ Hollypaw thought and padded over to Cinderheart.

Cinderheart's warming gaze seemed to show something hiding behind them. "What are you doing up so early?" Cinderheart asked. "What were you talking to Stormstar about?"

"I want to know something," Hollypaw meowed. _I want to know!_ "Who was my father?"

Cinderheart froze in place, and her blue eyes turned fearful. Hollypaw's mother started to shake, and her eyes seemed to stare at Hollypaw fearfully, her pelt rippling with anger, sadness, and other emotions. "Someone who I don't want to speak about…" Cinderheart whispered, and unsheathed her claws.

"I'm sorry," Hollypaw whispered, regretting asking Cinderheart.

But then, Cinderheart licked her pelt and looked at Hollypaw with her normally soft gaze. "No," Cinderheart meowed simply. "You deserve to know, because I should tell you. Every cat deserves to know their family." Cinderheart coughed, and meowed, "His name is Shadowpelt."

 _Shadowpelt!_ Hollypaw thought. "I was right," Hollypaw whispered.

"What do you mean?" Cinderheart asked. "How did you know?"

"Because on the first day Stormstar took me to see the borders, a black cat was at the Shadowclan border. Stormstar called him Shadowpelt, and I noticed how much he looked like me," Hollypaw explained.

"Do me a favor," Cinderheart meowed.

"What is it?" Hollypaw asked.

"Never see your father again," Cinderheart's gaze was more serious than Hollypaw could've imagined. Cinderheart padded back into the warriors den, and Hollypaw noticed her eyes were dull and clouded with memory.

 _What have I done?_ Hollypaw asked herself. _Was it worth asking if Cinderheart is going to seem depressed now?_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment!_


	3. Chapter 2

Deep within the depths of his mind, Dustflash was still feeling as if he was only an apprentice. Dustflash was a young warrior who had witnessed his father getting taken over by the most evil cat the clans had seen, and Dustflash had to kill his own father to stop the power spreading within him.

And nothing still felt right, and Dustflash always felt as if he was being watched. Watched by those red eyes when Bramblestar had turned into Tigerstar. _When will Tigerstar be defeated?_ Dustflash thought, remembering back when he was apprentice, when Tigerstar started training him in his dreams. Dustflash hadn't known what Tigerstar was going to do, and what he did to Bramblestar. _If he's dead, he shouldn't be able to affect the clans to this extent…_ At least, that's what Dustflash first thought.

Dustflash padded up the stone steps to Stormstar's den, feeling the rays of the sun slowly go away. A cloud was passing, covering the sun. _Oh, Starclan, I need to prove I'm a good Thunderclan cat…_ Dustflash thought. Padding into the leader's den, a small, gray kit almost tripped Dustflash.

"Sorry!" Shardkit's voice rang clearly. "Sorry, Dustflash! I'm just off to get some fresh-kill for mother!" Shardkit jumped down into the hollow, and Dustflash was faced with the brown she-cat, who sat and was smiling at Shardkit. Her fur from her forehead was covering her right eye again.

Stormstar looked over to Dustflash. "What did you want to speak about?" She asked, giving a little cough. _Here goes nothing,_ Dustflash thought.

"I want to know if I can mentor Hollypaw instead," Dustflash meowed. "You are still taking care of Shardkit, and I've wanted an apprentice for quite awhile. Besides," Dustflash added, "I've been her temporary mentor for some time. I just thought it'd be best to just be her permanent mentor."

Stormstar nodded. "Alright," Stormstar meowed. "You are Hollypaw's new mentor. You can go tell her." When Stormstar blinked, an unreadable emotion entered her eyes. "Just… Don't let her see Shadowpelt," Stormstar meowed, barely audible.

"Do you mean that tom from Shadowclan?" Dustflash asked. When Stormstar nodded, he meowed, "Because he's the father, and I remember the fight that resulted in Silverpelt falling over the edge." Stormstar smiled.

"You know, I know you weren't with your father for as long as you should've been," Stormstar meowed. "But he was a great cat. The entire time I knew him, he was always ready to help his clan. Ready to help those in need, even outside his personal family. I became part of his family, and now I know where I belong." Stormstar looked outside, her gaze clouded in memory. "When I first came to the clans, I was here to get help to kill Scar. Then I fell in love with Shardfeather, and knew I could establish a family here. Everyone here is family to me now, and my first family member here was your father."

Dustflash didn't quite know where Stormstar was going with this conversation.

"So, my gift to Bramblestar is to give you an apprentice," Stormstar finished as Shardkit scampered into the room. Stormstar leaned down. "You want to help me finish this mouse?" Stormstar asked the kit, who squealed in excitement.

Padding out of the den and muttering a "goodbye", Dustflash went to find Hollypaw. _Her black pelt should be easy to spot in the hollow,_ Dustflash thought as he remembered the training session they had. _Although, if she's in the forest, I'm screwed on finding her!_

It was odd to know that Hollypaw had stalked Dustflash for a long time during that session, especially when the wind kept changing direction. In his thought's, Dustflash accidently ran into Jaypaw, who muttered something.

"Sorry," Dustflash meowed. "Do you know where Hollypaw is?" Dustflash asked, avoiding the words that involved sight.

Jaypaw let out a snort, "No need to avoid certain words. You get used to it after awhile. Yeah," Jaypaw answered, "Hollypaw should be training with Lionpaw in the training hollow. Their mentors left on a border patrol and told them to practice fighting moves. If they aren't there, then I don't know where they'd be." Jaypaw padded away, and Dustflash felt as if the young apprentice could actually _see_.

Padding out of the bramble tunnel, Dustflash went to the training grounds. _It seemed as if Jaypaw knew what I was thinking when I tried avoiding any words involving sight,_ Dustflash thought, and jumped over a fallen tree. On the other side, Hollypaw and Lionpaw were facing each other, panting.

Before Dustflash could say anything, the two cats started to battle. Lionpaw's orange pelt flashed quickly, and then jumped into the air, avoiding Hollypaw's swipe. Hollypaw countered Lionpaw's jump by timing exactly when and where Lionpaw would land, and she flicked her tail, putting Lionpaw off balance. The battle was over when Hollypaw placed her paw on Lionpaw's neck.

"How was that?" Hollypaw meowed triumphantly. "Getting tired yet?"

"Never!" Lionpaw smiled, and tried to wriggle free, but Hollypaw's grip was tight.

Hollypaw sighed, letting a smile escape her lips. "Mouse-brain," Hollypaw meowed, and Dustflash watched with fascination as Hollypaw released her grip and Lionpaw used his hind legs to shove Hollypaw into the air. Dustflash saw Hollypaw's eyes gleam with excitement when she landed, and Lionpaw looked at her.

"Is this going to keep going in circles?" Dustflash shouted towards the two apprentices, who quickly looked over in surprise, but looked too tired to actually say anything. "Hollypaw, Stormstar has given me the task of mentoring you, permanently," Dustflash meowed to Hollypaw.

"Really?" Hollypaw meowed, another gleam of excitement entered her eyes. "That's great!"

"So," Dustflash meowed, chuckling a little, "What were you both doing?"

Lionpaw and Hollypaw exchanged glances, and then looked at Dustflash. "Our mentors said to practice fighting," Lionpaw meowed first, "So we came here to practice. We've been practicing since early this morning." Dustflash looked toward the sun, and realized it was well past sun-high.

"Well then, let's practice," Dustflash meowed. "Hollypaw, attack me," Dustflash challenged the black apprentice.

Hollypaw panted, and shook her head. "I can't," Hollypaw meowed. "I'm too tired to do anything now." Dustflash smiled at her.

"How about now?" Dustflash asked, swiping his paw forward, and Hollypaw barely dodged it. Hollypaw retaliated and swiped forward, keeping Dustflash's paw down and then quickly swinging her other paw. Dustflash ducked, narrowly avoiding the swipe. "I thought you were too tired?" Dustflash taunted. "I want to see you truly fight. Don't hold anything back."

Dustflash's memory returned to the moment his father was trying to hold Tigerstar back, way up at the Moonpool…

 _Dustpaw ran up the trail to the Moonpool, fear tugging at his paws._ They can't kill Bramblestar! _Dustpaw thought as he ran up. Another voice tugged him back, and he stopped. The only voice that seemed to talk to him in his waking world._ Leave him to die, _Brokenstar meowed in his head._

 _Dustpaw powered through the voices, and kept running up._ Leave me alone! _He thought, and after a few heart-beats, he finally reached the top. The scene was horrible. Ravenpaw and Graystripe were knocked out by a rock wall and Leafpool and Storm were unconscious by the Moonpool, water lapping at their tails._

 _And Bramblestar in the center, one eye was red, the other was amber. Bramblestar seemed to be struggling with something internal. "Leave me alone," Bramblestar's voice was barely audible, and it was deeper than normal. Almost like Tigerstar's._

" _Stop!" Dustpaw shouted to Bramblestar, not realizing what he had said. He padded out from behind the rock he was looking at his father from._

" _Dustpaw…" Bramblestar looked at his son, and the amber eye withheld a deep sadness. "Get out of here, I don't want to see you hurt."_

" _I heard everything," Dustpaw confessed, and meowed that he knew about the plan to kill Bramblestar. Dustpaw meowed how he hadn't seen Tigerstar in moons, and he felt the small flower in his ear shift. Then he heard a voice he hadn't heard before._ It's too late, Tigerstar's hold is tightened over Bramblestar now. He is no longer your father… _The voice was that of a she-cat. Dustpaw finally meowed, "Now, I will satisfy your wish." Dustpaw felt the warmth of another pelt beside him._

Touching _, Brokenstar meowed sarcastically in Dustpaw's mind._

" _Thank you," Bramblestar meowed, and his amber eye turned completely red._ I'm only facing Tigerstar now, _Dustpaw thought when he noticed how hauntingly familiar Bramblestar now looked compared to Tigerstar. The torn ear, the darkened fur, it all made sense now._

 _Dustpaw rushed forward, stabbing his paws to the left and right of Bramblestar._ No, not Bramblestar… Not anymore _, Dustpaw thought, and managed to break through Tigerstar's defense. Dustpaw was able to get a scratch on Tigerstar's shoulder._

" _I'm just getting started," Tigerstar meowed, smiling. "You'll pay for betraying me!"_

" _I have loyalty to only a few select cats who have earned my trust. That would be my clan," Dustpaw meowed, and Tigerstar swung one unusually long claw forward. Dustpaw dodged it, and was able to counter by swiping at Tigerstar's muzzle, leaving a trickling scratch that would probably be a scar. "You never deserved a family," Dustpaw continued. "Because you never cared for a single cat." A light breeze fluttered around Dustpaw. "Stay away from Thunderclan," Dustpaw hissed, "And stay away from my family."_

 _Tigerstar tried to claw Dustpaw again, but Dustpaw countered it the same way he did last time and clawed Tigerstar's muzzle again. This time, more blood came from the tom's face, and trickled onto the stone ground. Then Dustpaw was able to trip Tigerstar, and keep the strong warrior pinned under her paws._

" _You can't kill me!" Tigerstar laughed._

" _How can I kill you, when you're already dead?" Dustpaw retorted. "You deserve to die a thousand times over!" Dustpaw lifted his claws, and almost hesitated to kill Tigerstar._ He's not my father anymore _, Dustpaw thought, and sliced down, opening a large wound in Tigerstar's neck._

" _See you in the dark forest," Tigerstar choked out, letting out a smile and closed his eyes. His breathing had stopped, and Dustpaw didn't feel any better than before. He began to cry, knowing his father was gone for good. All around him was blood, and felt as if that's what his life was going to be. To be surrounded in scarlet liquid, to just stand there forever and look at his father's lifeless body._

" _You didn't deserve this life, Bramblestar," Dustpaw choked out. "You didn't deserve to die…"_

 _Then Dustpaw felt a tail touch his shoulder and he flinched. At first, he thought it was Ravenpaw or Graystripe._

" _It's all right, you can rest now," Bramblestar's voice meowed in his ear._

 _Jumping in surprise, he looked at a transparent dark tabby, and didn't know what to think. His mind raced with thoughts as he stared at Bramblestar, looking more like he did the first time Dustpaw remembered his father. His fur was a lighter color, his eyes an amber, and no tear in his ear._

" _By the power of Starclan," Bramblestar meowed, "Dustpaw, you have earned your right as a warrior." Dustpaw heard Storm, Leafpool, Ravenpaw, and Graystripe all get up, and felt their eyes on him and Bramblestar. "From this moment on, you will be known as Dustflash." Dustpaw just looked at his father, not realizing he was getting his warrior name. "Teach your clanmates true loyalty," Bramblestar meowed._

 _Dustflash watched as Bramblestar's amber gaze shifted from cat to cat in the clearing, and rested back on him. "I will watch over you, your sister, and your mother," Bramblestar finally meowed, his fur beginning to fade. "You can tell them that." Then Bramblestar turned to Storm. "You are the new leader of Thunderclan. Don't take too long giving my daughter her warrior name." Dustflash watched Bramblestar give a smile. "I don't want her to feel left behind…"_

 _Dustflash watched Bramblestar fade completely, and the final words he heard was, "Goodbye…"_

Finally pinning Hollypaw to the ground, Dustflash coughed. "You are still hard when you're tired, Hollypaw." Hollypaw smiled. Getting off her, he meowed, "Let's head back to camp. I gave you more of a workout than I should've."

"You got that right," Hollypaw chuckled. "I'm so tired, I could sleep for a moon…"

Padding back to camp, Dustflash's thought's returned to the moment's after Bramblestar had disappeared from his sight…

 _Staring at the star's, Dustflash didn't know what to think. Behind him came Storm, who sat next to him, and Dustflash's eyes were still wet from his tears._

" _He will live on within us," Storm meowed. "Never forget that."_

 _Dustflash realized his claws were unsheathed, and he sheathed them. Standing up, he began to pad away, feeling his pelt burn with the other cats staring at him. Ravenpaw caught up to him. "Remember, we'll always be here for you," Ravenpaw meowed. "You don't have to walk away on us."_

" _I'm not walking away from you," Dustflash sighed. "I have to explain to Silverpelt what happened…" Ravenpaw nodded in understanding, and Dustflash continued. "It'd be better if I told her, instead of someone else."_

 _The four cats gave one last look to the bloody mess that was behind them, and they followed Dustflash to the camp. When they entered the camp, everyone stared at Dustflash, horrified, and Dustflash looked at his paws. They were still bloody with Tigerstar's blood._

" _Go see your mother," Storm whispered, "I'll explain to them what happened." Dustflash nodded, and padded into the medicine den. All eyes went to Storm as Dustflash padded out of sight._

 _Inside the den, Silverpelt was grooming herself, and twitching her ears. Looking up, she meowed, "Hey, Dustpaw." Turning her head to the entrance, she meowed, "I had this weird dream. Bramblestar kept saying something… I wonder…" Dustflash swallowed the water that formed in his mouth, and Silverpelt noticed. "What's wrong?"_

 _Dustflash swallowed again, and took a deep breath. "Bramblestar's dead," he choked out. Loud shouting began outside, but neither cat moved, and Silverpelt stared at Dustflash's paws._

" _What happened?" Silverpelt asked, looking too stunned to cry or do anything. She looked as if you touched her, she would shatter, be broken, torn into tiny pieces of her former self._

" _I know about Tigerstar cursing Bramblestar," Dustflash meowed. "Bramblestar planned on dying to not let Tigerstar take control, and I followed the five cats. Storm, Leafpool, Ravenpaw, and Graystripe to the Moonpool. By the time I reached them, four cats were unconscious. Tigerstar had already had control of Bramblestar." Silverpelt padded up to Dustflash, and put her head on his shoulder. "I was forced to kill him…" The sounds outside died down quickly. "I didn't want to…" Dustflash muttered._

 _In a heart-beat, Silverpelt started to cry on Dustflash's shoulder. Her tears didn't make Dustflash feel any better, and he placed his tail on her shoulder, and wanted to comfort her._

" _His spirit formed next to us," Dustflash went on. "As his final act, he gave me my warrior name. I am no longer Dustpaw. I am Dustflash…"_

When Dustflash padded into the clearing, Silverpelt was just outside the nursery with a kit around her paws. The kit was a dark tabby, with one amber eye and a blind eye in the other. Dustflash remembered when Silverpelt bore her second litter, which was just the one kit. In honor of Bramblestar, Silverpelt named the little kit Bramblekit.

Padding over, Dustflash was excited to see his little brother all happy.

"How's he doing?" Dustflash asked when Bramblekit jumped for a leaf, which had settled on the ground. Leaf-bare was about to begin… Out of the corner of Dustflash's gaze, he watched as Lionpaw and Hollypaw were explaining to Jaypaw of Hollypaw's permanent switch in mentors.

"Bramblekit is doing great," Silverpelt meowed enthusiastically, and her eyes seemed lost in memories. "When I saw him open his right eye, I thought he was born completely blind, like Jaypaw," Silverpelt confessed. "But then he opened his second eye, and it was amber. He looked around the den, taking in the sights. I was so worried…"

Dustflash placed his tail around his mother's back. "It'll be alright," he comforted. "One day, Bramblekit will grow up to be one of the greatest warriors this forest will ever see." Silverpelt flashed Dustflash a grateful look, and went back to paying attention to Bramblekit. Bramblekit was barely any younger than Shardkit, but they had become the greatest friends.

Padding away, Dustflash went to the warriors den. It still felt different without Stormstar in the den, even though it had been two moons. Roseleaf was already sleeping at the edge of the nests, and Dustflash lie down next to her.

"Goodnight, Roseleaf," Dustflash yawned, and placed his head on his paws, allowing the darkness of sleep hold him…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment and follow!_


	4. Chapter 3

Everyone was getting excited for tonight, as tonight was the next gathering. Hollypaw was excited, because Stormstar already said that her and her brothers could go that night to their first gathering. Her stomach was flipped with anxiety, but her green eyes showed the pure excitement hiding behind her pure green eyes.

"Are you guys ready?" Hollypaw meowed to her brothers. Jaypaw let out a little smile, but behind his blue eyes, Hollypaw noticed he wasn't truly happy. But it's not like Jaypaw would tell her anything, and no one actually knew why Jaypaw normally kept to himself. Lionpaw was lashing his tail in excitement, and he licked his paw, his amber eyes darting from Stormstar, then back to Hollypaw, waiting for Stormstar to call the clan to leave for the gathering.

"Of course we are!" Lionpaw meowed loudly. "We have been ready for so long!" A sudden change occurred in Lionpaw's gaze, and he whispered, "Do you know why we hadn't gone to a gathering until now? There were two other gathering's we could've gone to, but Stormstar wouldn't let us."

Jaypaw looked at his brother. "It's Stormstar's business whether we go or not. Plus, you shouldn't question her, she's one of the smartest cats this forest has seen, next to Tigerstar. But he died some time ago, so we won't have to worry about him."

 _He sounds like he doesn't believe himself,_ Hollypaw noted as Jaypaw was speaking. When Jaypaw had finished, Hollypaw meowed, "I'm going to go see where Dustflash is." Standing up and stretching her stiff muscles, she padded away to find the gray and brown warrior. _Jaypaw didn't say that so… believingly,_ Hollypaw thought as she padded away.

Spotting the young warrior at the top of the hollow, she realized he was with Stormstar. Angling her ears, she listened to the conversation they were having. _I know it's bad to eavesdrop, but I'm too curious,_ Hollypaw thought. Her senses felt overwhelmed with the conversation.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring them along?" Stormstar meowed, staring at the sun, which was getting closer to setting.

"We can't leave them in camp until we think Shadowpelt won't come after them," Dustflash argued. "They have to come at some point, and it's been a few moons. They are bigger and stronger now, they can handle themselves." Dustflash began to search the clearing, and Hollypaw started to climb the steps. "How're you feeling, Hollypaw?" Dustflash asked, completely avoiding the conversation that he was having with Stormstar.

"I'm feeling great!" Hollypaw meowed excitedly. _I wonder if I can get some information from these two on the conversation they just had…_ Hollypaw partially narrowed her eyes, but Dustflash didn't notice.

Stormstar chuckled, and then shouted, "Let's go!" All the cats began to rush out of the tunnel as Stormstar went through. Hollypaw jumped down the stone steps and fell in step with her two brothers, who were talking about the training session from a few days ago when Hollypaw was facing Jaypaw with all her strength.

"It was a challenge to get Hollypaw," Jaypaw was meowing. "Since I can't pinpoint her by sight, I had to pinpoint her by scent and sound. When she moved upwind, my first thought was move to my left, but I still wouldn't have pinpointed her completely. It was the slight shuffling of her paws that gave it away. Where her paws stopped allowed me to know the distance and exactly where she stopped." Jaypaw was smiling, proud of himself for battling Hollypaw with such pinpoint accuracy.

Hollypaw only smiled, but her thoughts moved back to the short conversation between Dustflash and Stormstar. _They were talking about us,_ Hollypaw thought. _I know that much, it wasn't hard to figure out. It also had to do with our father, Shadowpelt. Is Shadowpelt dangerous to us? Or is there something else going on here?_

Lionpaw's paw poked her from her thoughts. "Is something wrong, Hollypaw?" he asked, worry glowing in his amber eyes. "You look tired and thoughtful."

Hollypaw looked at her brother in surprise from being pulled from her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine," Hollypaw answered her brother. "Just excited for the gathering." _I wonder if Cinderheart told them about who their father is… I doubt it, she barely told me…_ Hollypaw thought. _Would she let me tell them?_

"Are you sure?" Lionpaw pressed.

"There is something that I have to tell you," Hollypaw meowed. _Don't be mad at me, Cinderheart!_ "We aren't pure Thunderclan." Jaypaw just flicked his ears in acknowledgement, while Lionpaw looked at Hollypaw in surprise.

"What're you talking about?" Lionpaw growled under his breath.

"I'm saying that we are half-clan," Hollypaw meowed. _They deserve to know,_ Hollypaw thought, staring at her brother. _Every cat deserves to know their family_ , Hollypaw recalled the words that Cinderheart used when they talked about who Hollypaw's father really was. "Our father is Shadowpelt from Shadowclan," Hollypaw finally meowed.

Jaypaw just kept ignoring her, acting as if he knew already. Lionpaw looked like his jaw was going to drop off the face of the earth. "But… how…?" Lionpaw seemed to barely be able to speak. "It's… It's impossible…" Lionpaw whispered.

"No, it's not," Jaypaw meowed for once. "Cinderheart has dropped so many hints as to who our father was and to never visit him. I wasn't surprised when Hollypaw said she knew who our father was, because I already did." Jaypaw's eyes showed the intelligence behind the blind, piercing blue gaze.

Thunderclan had finally reached the forest area where they held gatherings in the neutral area of Windclan territory. Oddly enough, the only clan that hadn't arrived yet was Windclan. Their scent was stale.

 _How did he know who our father was?_ Hollypaw thought, watching the clans mix, other than Shadowclan and Thunderclan. Spotting a black cat padding toward her, Hollypaw looked away and began to pad after her brothers, who were with the other apprentices. Giving a slight sniff, Hollypaw noticed that Shadowpelt was right behind her. _Stay away from me!_ Hollypaw thought, and quickly lashed her tail.

"Don't be like this," Shadowpelt's voice moved over Hollypaw, freezing her in place. "You should at least talk to your father. I want to know how my daughter is faring," Shadowpelt's voice was soft and warm, and when Hollypaw turned to even acknowledge his existence, she saw the sinister look behind his eyes. "Are you going to answer me?" Shadowpelt asked, letting out a sincere smile. _Is he being sincere?_ Hollypaw thought.

Forcing herself to calm down and lie her fur flat, and then forced herself to speak. "I'm doing fine," Hollypaw meowed, feeling a growl rise in her throat.

Shadowpelt only sighed. "It sucks when a family is split apart over some boundaries, isn't it?" Hollypaw noticed a gleam of sadness in the tom's green eyes, clouding with memory. "Sometimes, I wish I went with Thunderclan when you were born. But I was born a Shadowclan cat, I couldn't live with Thunderclan." Shadowpelt looked to the stars. "I just hoped I could live with just one of my kits…" Shadowpelt's voice trailed off.

"Hello, Shadowpelt," a growl scared Hollypaw, and she turned to see Cinderheart's gaze of deep hatred. "How is Shadowclan doing?" Cinderheart meowed, and it looked like she was forcing down a growl.

"Shadowclan is doing fine, Cinderheart," Shadowpelt meowed.

Cinderheart used her tail to lead Hollypaw away, and when they were out of earshot, Cinderheart growled, "What were you doing, talking to him?"

Hollypaw was stunned at her mother's sudden emotional change towards Hollypaw. "He came up to me," Hollypaw explained, forcing down her anxiety. "I tried to walk away but he was determined to talk to one of his kits." Suddenly, Hollypaw meowed, "Can you really blame him?"

"Yes!" Cinderheart hissed. "He tried to take you from me to hurt me when you were born. Shadowclan and Thunderclan had battles to keep you three safe, and I thought you promised me you'd never speak to your father. What happened to _that_?" Cinderheart took a step toward Hollypaw, anger blazing in her blue gaze.

"You want to know what happened?" Hollypaw growled, "You shouldn't blame your kits if they want to see their father. Maybe you should blame yourself for ever loving him in the first place. For giving birth to three kits whose birth broke the warrior code." Hollypaw felt bad for saying the words, and regretted them instantly. Cinderheart lowered her head, and Hollypaw noticed she was shaking. Tears fell to the grass, and Cinderheart coughed something not audible.

"I'm sorry," Cinderheart coughed, clearing her throat. "If that's how you feel, then fine. See your father…" Cinderheart's words died to a whisper, and Hollypaw licked her mother's ears.

"You have no right to say you're sorry," Hollypaw meowed. "I shouldn't have said what I said. It was uncalled for," Hollypaw meowed, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Lionpaw and Jaypaw were looking over in her direction. Jaypaw seemed to actually see Hollypaw, and Lionpaw looked bewildered. Lowering her gaze, Hollypaw wondered what they had heard.

Hollypaw heard the leaders call a meeting, and hadn't realized that Windclan had come into the clearing. Turning around, she placed her tail on Cinderheart to let her lie down, and lie down next to her, keeping her pelt against hers. _Is it possible for me to comfort my own mother after what I had just said?_ Hollypaw didn't think so, and listened to the leaders who stood at the lowest branch.

Foxstar went up first, her calico pelt glowing under the moonlight. Hollypaw thought she cast a glance at Stormstar before continuing, and Stormstar hadn't noticed. Ignoring it, Hollypaw listened to Foxstar.

"Windclan has fared well for the start of leaf-bare," Foxstar meowed. "The rabbits are still running across the moors, and we are at our best. I would also like to explain why I was missing last moon during the gathering. I was having my kits-" Hollypaw heard lots of cats muttering, especially from Windclan. "I would also like to present our new apprentice, Mousepaw, and his mentor shall be Lakewind."

The clans cheered Mousepaw's name, except Shadowclan seemed eerily quiet compared to the rest. Hollypaw didn't feel like she could cheer, as anxiety was still rolling inside her. Her mind kept returning to what she had said to Cinderheart. _For giving birth to three kits whose birth broke the warrior code…_

Stormstar padded up next, and didn't share much in the way of news. _There is nothing much to report,_ Hollypaw thought. _All we had was one apprentice switch mentors, and that isn't news that has to be shared._ Blackstar padded to the front, and meowed, "I am declaring war on Thunderclan." Blackstar's voice was even, calm, in fact.

Turning to the Shadowclan leader, Stormstar meowed, "Why is that? We have nothing to offer you."

Blackstar turned towards Stormstar calmly. "You had something that you would not give us," Blackstar meowed. "You have three kits, who should be apprentices now, that belong to Shadowclan." Hollypaw felt her heart drop, and her mother's head went up to look at Blackstar.

"You are declaring an unjust war," Featherstar meowed. "Just because they had something you should've taken, doesn't mean you should declare war. Plus, those kits are above the age of six moons, and are already apprenticed. There is no point in fighting the war you declare-"

"Stay out of it," Blackstar growled, losing his temper. Hollypaw didn't know what was going on, and also realized that Foxstar hadn't made a single move to help defend Stormstar. In fact, she seemed pleased. _What is Foxstar thinking?_ Hollypaw asked herself. _What does she want from Thunderclan?_

"Get out of here," Cinderheart whispered to Hollypaw. "Get your brothers, and get out of here. I have a feeling something is going to happen." Hollypaw nodded, and felt her mother lick her ears, and with that, Hollypaw padded away to find her brothers. She spotted Lionpaw's golden pelt, and Jaypaw's blind eyes at the edge of the clearing. But they weren't the only ones.

Behind them was a black cat with green eyes. "No," Hollypaw whispered, and almost went full on sprint to her brothers. The pelt melted into the undergrowth, and Hollypaw went to her brothers. "Let's get out of here," Hollypaw meowed, looking for Shadowpelt.

"Why?" Lionpaw asked curiously, narrowing his gaze.

"Because we are the cause of this war," Jaypaw meowed, answering for Hollypaw. "Our birth broke the warrior code. Plus, Shadowpelt wants us with him, and it seems Blackstar will do anything to bring us to his side. Let's go," Jaypaw finished with a whisper. Behind them, Stormstar was trying to persuade Blackstar to stop the attack.

As Hollypaw padded through the bushes, she heard a slight snicker come from Foxstar.

Padding through the forest behind her brothers, Hollypaw heard Jaypaw grunt.

"This isn't right," her brother's voice echoed. "Something is wrong, I can feel it in the air. Someone is nearby…" Hollypaw scented whoever was following them already, and knew who Jaypaw was talking about.

"Don't worry," Hollypaw meowed, "Once we enter Thunderclan territory, we should be fine." Giving another sniff, Hollypaw thought the smell was familiar. It's been to Shadowclan territory, that was for sure, and whoever it was, it wasn't Shadowpelt like Hollypaw first thought.

In a few heart-beats, they crossed the scent boundary, but the cat was still following them. "You guys go on ahead," Hollypaw whispered. "I'm going to find out who this cat is."

"No way!" Lionpaw whispered. "You can't do it alone!"

Jaypaw placed his tail on Lionpaw. "I also can't get to camp alone because I haven't been this far up the border." This was the first time Hollypaw heard Jaypaw ever speak of his blindness in this way. Jaypaw turned to her. "Don't act surprised, Hollypaw. Go ahead, and try to catch up with us soon."

Splitting off, Hollypaw hid her pelt in the bushes and climbed up the side of a tree trunk. On the lowest branch, she noticed a calico cat following her brothers. But Hollypaw couldn't remember who it was. _He seems familiar, but that may because of the Shadowclan scent that clings to his pelt…_ Hollypaw leaped to the next tree, glad that it hadn't rained within the last few days. Or else it would be the training session all over again, except this time, there was no room for mistakes. A little paw-slip could alert the calico.

Suddenly, the calico seemed confused as he stared at the two brothers just ahead. Hollypaw heard him whisper, "Fox-dung, where'd the other brat go?" With that voice, Hollypaw placed the name to the cat.

 _Sol! I ever, so ever, barely remember you. You visited the camp when I was a kit, and went to Shadowclan afterwards. What are you doing to my brothers?_ Hollypaw jumped to the next tree as Sol moved forward again, and stayed downwind of Sol. _Lucky me, the wind is nice to me today!_

Hollypaw looked to the next tree, which was a jump of about five fox-lengths. _I can't take a chance,_ Hollypaw thought, and noticed her brothers disappear in the undergrowth. _I don't have time, I need to get across the open space…_ Sol began to pad directly below her, and looked around. "Good," Sol whispered, "No cats are following…" _That's what he thinks,_ Hollypaw smiled. _This darkness and my black pelt blend perfectly!_

The calico male moved forward, and Hollypaw took her chance. Running along the branch, she jumped high, and started to fall. Using her tail, she balanced in the air perfectly, and land directly on Sol.

"What the-!" Sol shouted as Hollypaw placed her claws on his neck.

"Why are you following my brothers and I?" Hollypaw demanded, putting her claws into Sol's throat, but still not drawing blood.

"I was here to talk about something important," Sol meowed. "A prophecy…"

Interested, Hollypaw sheathed her claws, but kept her paw on his neck. "What prophecy?" Hollypaw hissed. Sol looked like he was about to throw up, but kept his calm.

"You never heard?" Sol meowed, "I'm surprised. Since you are one of the three, I would've thought you would've known what the prophecy was." Hollypaw released Sol, and unsheathed her claws.

"Get out of here before I claw your throat," Hollypaw growled, not wanting to hear any more.

Sol only smiled, meowing, "If you ever want to talk about this, visit the abandoned twoleg nest that Bloodclan sheltered in." Hollypaw swung her paw forward, and growled. Sol took that as a sign to leave, and bolted toward the Shadowclan border. _He feels dangerous to me, I don't like him, and I think it'd be better if he never came to this forest…_

Running, she was trying to catch up with Jaypaw and Lionpaw. By the time she saw their pelts, they were at the bramble barrier to the camp, looking around. They noticed her, and waited patiently while she caught her breath. "What happened? Who was following us?" Lionpaw asked.

"Sol," Hollypaw coughed, her chest hurt from running the entire way. She wanted to run, only because she wanted to make sure her brothers were safe.

"Isn't Sol a Shadowclan cat?" Lionpaw asked.

Hollypaw nodded. "Something seems to bother you," Jaypaw meowed, but he didn't press. Hollypaw shook her head.

"No," she replied. "I'm just tired…"

"Then let's have you get to the den," Lionpaw meowed. "Our first gathering, and we end up having Cinderheart tell us we need to leave!" Lionpaw led the way to the apprentice den, keeping his tail on Jaypaw's shoulder, who shrugged it away. "Sorry," Lionpaw meowed to the blind cat.

Padding into the den, Hollypaw lie down in her nest and curled up. But the darkness of sleep wouldn't come. Instead, all she could think about was the prophecy that Sol briefly mentioned…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to comment/review! I love comments!_


	5. Chapter 4

The clearing was still full of cats, and Dustflash was one of them. He was staring at Blackstar in surprise, as if what Blackstar had just declared was almost impossible. _War?_ Dustflash's eyes darted to all the Shadowclan cats. They looked battle ready, and some looked as if they were targeting others, especially the Thunderclan cats. _What does Blackstar think he's doing?_ Dustflash averted his gaze away from the group of Shadowclan cats, and looked back to the white leader.

"You are declaring an unjust war," Featherstar meowed. "Just because they had something you should've taken, doesn't mean you should declare war. Plus, those kits are above the age of six moons, and are already apprenticed. There is no point in fighting the war you declare-"

"Stay out of it," Blackstar growled, turning to Stormstar.

Dustflash looked over to Cinderheart and Hollypaw, he had noticed earlier that their pelts were bristling at each other. Now, Cinderheart was whispering something to Hollypaw, and Hollypaw nodded. The black apprentice padded away, acting normal, but Dustflash could see the anxiety in her green gaze. _What did Cinderheart say?_ Dustflash thought, looking at the gray tabby warrior. Quickly padding over, he sat next to her and leaned toward her ear.

"What did you say to her?" Dustflash whispered.

Cinderheart sat up, her gaze not leaving the leaders. "I told Hollypaw to get her brother's and get out of here," she explained. "Look around, those Shadowclan cats look ready to fight, and I feel I can guarantee that a fight is going to break out here." Cinderheart placed her leg on her tail to keep it from moving.

"That's a good idea," Dustflash agreed, and angled his ear toward the leader's.

Blackstar was still staring at Stormstar, and his eyes held power within them. Dustflash noticed that one of his eyes had a tint of red. The image of Bramblestar came back to Dustflash, but was gone just as quick as it had come. Behind them, Dustflash also thought he saw a smirk on Foxstar's face. _I wonder if they are working together…_

"You wouldn't dare attack or cause trouble on the night of the gathering," Stormstar meowed calmly, but Dustflash knew better. Stormstar was trying to keep her fur flat, and her eyes blazed with fury. If this wasn't an important gathering, with war being declared, Dustflash admitted to himself that he would probably laugh. "You know Starclan would be angered," Stormstar continued.

Blackstar smiled. "If Starclan would be angered, then why are there no clouds covering the moon? Besides," Blackstar licked his paw. _He's definitely confident, he must know something we don't…_ "Why should we believe in dead cats? They have no power over us."

Dustflash's eyes widened, as did Featherstar's and Foxstar's. Shadowclan and Stormstar seemed to be the only cats unfazed. "If that's what you believe, go ahead," Stormstar meowed. "But don't drag the other clans down with you."

The Shadowclan leader stopped licking his paw, and he looked over all the cats. "I suggest that Windclan and Riverclan get out of here before this starts," he meowed. It looked as if Foxstar and Featherstar were about to disagree, but they didn't, and flicked their tails to signal that they were leaving. In a few heart-beats, the only cats left were Shadowclan and Thunderclan.

"I still don't see why you are declaring war," Stormstar meowed. "We can resolve this if you let us talk."

"I don't want to talk, I want to fight," Blackstar answered.

Stormstar sighed, and stood up. "If that's what you want," Stormstar meowed, "then be prepared." Smiling even wider, Blackstar crouched flicked his tail. In a heart-beat, the Shadowclan cats unsheathed their claws and were on top of Thunderclan, attacking everyone.

Dustflash barely dodged an attack by the clan deputy, Rowanclaw. The ginger tom went for Dustflash's nose, and he missed by a whisker. Dustflash countered with a move he learned from Tigerstar, when he trained under the evil dark tabby as an apprentice. Flicking his tail, he was able to unbalance Rowanclaw by flicking his tail into Rowanclaw's face, then he leaped and landed on Rowanclaw's back. Rowanclaw tried to escape the grapple, and did a roll, but Dustflash used Rowanclaw's weight against him, and used his hind legs to throw the ginger tom into a set of thorn bushes that lined the edge of the clearing.

The sky soon turned dark, and rain was beginning to pour down on the battling cats. _Seems weird that, technically, we are on Windclan territory, and Thunderclan and Shadowclan are fighting… Wrong territory,_ Dustflash was about to chuckle when he turned to see a horrifying sight.

In the center of the clearing, a gray tabby was lying almost completely still. Only the cat's breathing was noticeable, and Dustflash recognized her instantly. "Cinderheart!" He shouted and bolted through the fighting cats. When he got next to Cinderheart, the rain was pounding harder, and scarlet liquid was washing his paws. Analyzing Cinderheart, he realized there was a scratch along her side which was bleeding profusely.

Looking around, he noticed Leafpool still under the tree, watching as both leader's were striking each other on the branches. "Leafpool!" He shouted to the medicine cat. "Leafpool! We need help!" Leafpool seemed bolted into reality, and she looked at Cinderheart in horror. Leafpool leaped over small group of fighting cats and ran towards Cinderheart.

"What happened!?" Leafpool shouted, looking at Cinderheart with fear in her gaze.

"I don't know," Dustflash meowed, "I was fighting Rowanclaw when I saw Cinderheart."

Leafpool took a deep breath and meowed, "We need cobweb to stop the bleeding." Dustflash nodded and went to the edge of the clearing as quickly as possible. The moon was shining through the moon was shining through the clouds, revealing a small patch of cobwebs. Using his tail, Dustflash collected the large bundle and jumped back over to Leafpool, who quickly applied the cobweb. Dustflash watched as the cobwebs were instantly soaked in blood, and fear writhed in his stomach.

"Will she make it?" Dustflash asked.

Leafpool shook her head. "I can't say," she whispered. "She's lost so much blood, it's too early to tell. I…" Leafpool's voice trailed off, and she looked around the clearing. Slowly, cats were revealed to be on their sides. Some were breathing, some were not. _This gathering turned so bloody-_

A flash of lightning and a loud thunder stopped the entire fight. A large, black space was all that was left of the grass in the center of the clearing, and all the screeching, fur ripping, and sheathed claws stopped. Everyone was staring at the center of the clearing.

Dustflash looked back to Leafpool. "Let's get Cinderheart out of here," He meowed. "She'll be safest back at camp. I'll help carry her." Leafpool shook her head again.

"It's too dangerous to move her, we risk removing the cobweb," Leafpool meowed.

"And if we keep her here, we risk her dying anyway," Dustflash argued. "Windclan leader looked delighted earlier when Blackstar declared war. It was in her eyes, and we I feel we can't stay on enemy territory. The gathering is over, we are on Windclan territory now." Leafpool looked afraid, and Dustflash placed his tail on her. "Look, I know she's your sister, but either way, we risk her dying. We have to go."

Leafpool sighed, and Dustflash lifted Cinderheart up, and Leafpool helped carry Cinderheart. "Now," Dustflash coughed, "Let's get out of here before something else happens."

They started to pad away from the battle, and Cinderheart's weight seemed very light. _Come on! You need to survive, Cinderheart! You have kit's to look after still!_ Dustflash felt panic rise in his chest, thinking about Cinderheart probably dying. Pushing the thought aside, he kept moving to keep pace with Leafpool. At first, he thought he could feel Leafpool's heart beat faster and faster as the time went by.

Crossing the scent line, he smelled multiple cats that had gone by through here. _Hollypaw, Jaypaw, and Lionpaw all passed through here,_ Dustflash thought. Then another scent hit his nose. _Who's that?_ Dustflash thought. He knew he recognized the scent, but couldn't quite place the name to the cat.

"Do you think you can carry Cinderheart the rest of the way?" Dustflash asked Leafpool, still trying to remember the cats name. Leafpool nodded, and Dustflash lifted Cinderheart a little more to put her entire body on Leafpool.

"What are you going to go do?" Leafpool asked, but still walked quickly.

"There is a scent I can't place a name to, and it's bothering me," Dustflash meowed. "It's tinted with Shadowclan scent, but I don't think whoever it is is actually Shadowclan."

Leafpool gave a sniff, and growled, "You're right. They aren't Shadowclan. It's Sol."

Dustflash remembered meeting Sol once, but only remembered Sol as a calico cat, nothing else really hit his mind. _So, Sol is back, isn't he? What's he doing on Thunderclan territory?_ "I think that he's following Cinderheart's kits," Dustflash meowed. "His trail is aligned with them." Then he took another sniff. "Hollypaw went missing, but it doesn't seem to be with Sol. She must've noticed, and went somewhere to follow him…" Dustflash looked toward the trees.

"Go ahead and find Hollypaw," Leafpool meowed, quickly padding away towards the camp. Dustflash nodded, and tried to track Hollypaw's scent. Deciding that Hollypaw went among the trees, like she did during the training session, he clawed his way up to the lowest branches. Almost losing his balance, he used his tail to regain himself, and gave another sniff, but didn't smell anything other than the cool night air.

Looking around, he quickly decided to jump into the next tree, and found where he needed to be. Right where he landed, he realized there were claw marks, and the scent of his apprentice was faint. _Hollypaw came through these trees, and knew that Sol was following them. She probably wanted to protect her brother's,_ Dustflash quickly moved forward, where the claw marks pointed, and kept finding them. _The only downside to sneaking around in trees,_ Dustflash noted. _You leave a trail of claw marks…_

Suddenly, the trail stopped, and two scents collided nearby. Sol's and Hollypaw's. _Did Hollypaw catch him?_ Dustflash didn't know, but he jumped down to find out. The scents collided, and they were still a little fresh. It hadn't been long since they met, and the scent of Sol turned back toward the farthest part of Shadowclan's border. _I need to follow Sol's scent trail,_ Dustflash thought, _I need to make sure he left the territory._

Following Sol's scent, he was able to track it toward the burned twoleg nest above the small hills, beyond clan territory now. The memory of what happened that night was still burned into his mind. When Stormstar jumped out, everyone was surprised she wasn't burned. But when they also realized that Shardfeather hadn't come out with her, they had given up hope on the gray and white tom. _Shardfeather was probably one of my favorite clanmates,_ Dustflash thought. _He was a white stone among the black ones. Always the odd one out because he was Riverclan. At least, until the last moon he was in Thunderclan. That was when everyone truly accepted him…_

Crouching, he kept low and began to pad toward the twoleg nest. _Sol is trouble, and almost everyone knows it…_ Slowly crawling forward, he kept his ears back, a little in fear as to what he might find. Most of the twoleg nest was charcoal, black from the fire. Dustflash was still surprised the fire didn't burn down half the forest, as the original nest touched the tree above them. Although, the branch was gone now.

Inside, a calico cat was licking his paw, and the remains of a mouse were about a fox-length away. The calico cat's ears perked up, and he turned around to see Dustflash.

"Hey!" He meowed a friendly greeting. "I know you're there Dustflash," Sol's voice echoed in the dark. "You should come in, it's raining." Carefully, Dustflash placed one paw on the charcoaled wood of the twoleg nest, and looked at Sol. "I didn't expect you tonight, with Cinderheart being injured and all…" Sol's eyes held a gleam of excitement.

"How do you know about Cinderheart's injuries?" Dustflash growled, unsheathing his claws.

Sol sighed and smiled. "No need to fight tonight," he meowed. "I already had your apprentice at my throat earlier, I'm done with fighting." Then a curiosity sparked in the calico cat's eyes. "How is Slyheart doing?" Sol asked.

Dustflash was taken aback by the question. _Why does he want to know about Slyheart? It's a very odd question…_ "Why do you want to know?" Dustflash growled, keeping his claws unsheathed.

The curiosity gone from his eyes, Sol meowed, "No reason, it's just, we knew each other a long time ago. I was wondering how he was doing." Sol licked his chest, and twitched his whiskers. "I heard about your father, about his little curse that Mapleshade placed on him."

 _I didn't even know that! Who is Mapleshade? Who is Sol?_ "How did you know that?" Dustflash asked, still crouched, ready to rip Sol to shreds if needed.

Snickering, Sol meowed, "All you have to do is watch the stars. Starclan shows everything just by the stars alone. But not everyone can see it, not like I can." Dustflash narrowed his eyes. _Who is this cat?_ "By now, you probably wonder, who exactly am I," Sol continued. _Huh, I wonder!_ Dustflash thought sarcastically, but bit back the words. "I will tell you later. You should go check on Cinderheart."

Dustflash turned around, hesitating, he thought about just killing Sol now. _I can't harm him until I know he's done something wrong,_ Dustflash decided. _I also want to know where Sol comes from…_ Dustflash padded out of the twoleg nest, and words echoed from Sol's lips.

"Don't worry, we'll meet again."

Dustflash padded into camp, and padded over to the medicine den. _Cinderheart shouldn't be dead,_ he thought as he smelled blood, but he kept his posture. The clan still hadn't come back from the gathering, and dawn was breaking over the horizon. Padding into the den, he saw Leafpool bending over Cinderheart.

"How is she?" Dustflash asked.

Leafpool looked up, her eyes dull. "I don't think she'll make it. She lost too much blood, and I don't have much marigold left to help with the infection. Cinderheart could live from the wound, but I can smell infection inside. There is nothing I can do, it's up to the paws of fate to guide her now…" Dustflash noticed a tear in Leafpool's eye, and muttered a quick goodbye before padding out of the medicine den. _I hope Cinderheart lives, because Hollypaw seems too distracted. Hollypaw needs her mother now, more than ever…_

Thunderclan scent came over the bramble barrier, and Dustflash watched as multiple cats padded in. Most had light scratches, while Dustflash noticed Slyheart had a tear in his ear. _This was a battle we weren't prepared for,_ Dustflash thought. Leafpool padded out of the den behind them, and Stormstar came up to the two cats, Slyheart right behind her.

Stormstar looked at Leafpool. "What happened?" The brown she-cat asked, worry clouding her gaze.

"Cinderheart's in critical condition," Leafpool meowed. "There is a large scratch in her side, and infection settled in. I can't help her," Leafpool's voice trailed off, and she grabbed the cobweb bundle she had and began to treat the clan.

Slyheart sighed. "This isn't going to go well," he meowed darkly. "Without our medicine cat working at full to help the clan, we might be screwed in this battle with Shadowclan." Stormstar nodded in agreement.

"Dustflash, you should go rest while Slyheart and I decide what to do," Stormstar meowed. "All cats will need to be on their full guard for the coming moons. I fear we won't get out of this battle with Shadowclan for some time…" Stormstar padded up the side, and was greeted by Shardkit, who wanted to hear why it took so long for his mother to come back from the gathering.

Dustflash felt a little worried that Shardkit would grow up in such an environment, but ignored his feelings and went to the warriors den. No cats, other than Cinderheart, had serious wounds, and so the den was full of sleeping warriors. Dustflash padded to his nest and lie down next to Roseleaf.

 _Starclan… Help us…_

The waves of darkness took hold of Dustflash, and he was glad to finally go to sleep…

Opening his eyes, Dustflash saw a dark tabby cat in front of him. Leaping back, he realized it wasn't Tigerstar. It was Bramblestar. Bramblestar's amber eyes gave away the grave news, but Dustflash didn't care. He was glad to just see his father again.

"Bramblestar…" Dustflash whispered, still a little surprised.

"Dustflash," Bramblestar meowed, "Your path ahead is going to be filled with sadness. You must look past it, and help your clan restore itself to its full potential."

"I have a question," Dustflash meowed, knowing this may be the only time to ask. "Who is Sol?"

Bramblestar sighed. "To tell you that, I have to tell you something else." Taking a deep breath, Bramblestar continued. "A long time ago, there weren't four clans in the forest. There was five. This fifth clan was known as Skyclan, and they had the best tree climbing capabilities known to the clans. Twolegs destroyed their home, and the other four clans wouldn't give Skyclan any territory to support them, and they left. Cloudstar was Skyclan's leader at the time, and he said that one day, he vowed revenge on those leaders. They found a gorge some ways away, and their clan has thrived. In fact, they are still thriving today. Sol tried to join that clan after something happened involving an injury to his leg, and the clan wouldn't let him join. So, just like Cloudstar, he left, and vowed to destroy each clan. One… by… one."

"What actually happened to his leg?" Dustflash asked, curious.

"Look to the slyest of hearts for answers," Bramblestar meowed, and started to fade. Dustflash knew it was no use to try and stop Bramblestar from leaving. "Remember, I'm watching over you," Bramblestar meowed finally, disappearing from Dustflash's sight completely.

Waking up, Dustflash didn't know what to do. _Look to the slyest of heart's for answers…_ Dustflash thought that it should be quite obvious to him who he should ask, but his mind was on something else. Leafpool was outside the medicine den when Dustflash padded out, and her tears were clearly visible. _No…_ Dustflash bolted next to Leafpool.

"She's not…" Dustflash meowed, his voice cracking.

Leafpool shook her head. "No, not yet, but it's too late. Cinderheart is dying, and there is nothing I can do that can stop it…"

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment and follow!_


	6. Chapter 5

Everything was blurry, that's all that passed. The colors were blurred, creating blobs of randomness, and something was calling out, but Hollypaw couldn't hear. Every one of her senses was impaired. Her ears were ringing, her vision was blurry, her sense of touch was a little numbed. Even her nose couldn't pick up a scent.

Finally, after multiple heart-beats, Hollypaw took a step forward, and coughed. Blinking, her vision cleared, and her ears stopped ringing. Water came out of her mouth, and Hollypaw realized that she had just come out of a waterfall. In front of her stood a gray she-cat with blue eyes. _Cinderheart…_ Hollypaw could barely think, but two smells came out of the water with her.

Turning, she saw Lionpaw's golden pelt, but what surprised her was that he looked _older_ , like he'd been alive for seasons. To her left, Jaypaw looked the same. Older than he really was, and his eyes, instead of being pale blue, were just a dark blue. Like he could _see._

Looking back, Hollypaw looked into the waterfall at her reflection. Her fur was a little longer, and there was a small patch of white on her forepaw. _But… I don't have any white spots, my pelt is pure black…_ Hollypaw was now confused at the entire situation, and turned back to her mother.

"Cinderheart, what's going on?" Lionpaw asked their mother. Hollypaw and Jaypaw both nodded to show their agreement.

Cinderheart chuckled a little bit, and looked at her kits. Her gaze turned more serious, and it looked as if she was staring at Hollypaw. "You all have a destiny you must fulfill," Cinderheart meowed. " _There will be three who hold the power of the stars in their paws, and only together can they defeat the darkness…_ " It sounded as if Cinderheart was reciting words from long before.

 _But that's because she is,_ Hollypaw realized, and both her brothers stood, too shocked to move. "You mean…" Hollypaw meowed, and gulped. "You mean us, don't you?" Cinderheart nodded. "But… Why?"

"Because our destinies were set from the beginning," Jaypaw's voice was a little lower as he spoke. "This prophecy has been set from the dawn of the clans. This is our destiny, and it explains so much…" Jaypaw's voice trailed off.

Lionpaw turned to him, meowing, "What explains so much?"

Jaypaw looked at Cinderheart. "I'm able to see the truth behind your eyes. You're dying, aren't you?" Hollypaw and Lionpaw turned back to Cinderheart. They couldn't see what Jaypaw could see. Behind her eyes, Cinderheart seemed to carry emotion, but not the emotion those in death or close to death would carry.

Yet, Cinderheart nodded. "Jaypaw, you see so much more than anyone, yet you are still blind to the world around you." A tear came to Cinderheart's eye. "In the waking world, I am dying. I will not live to see sunset when you wake up. Be careful, and Hollypaw," Cinderheart meowed, turning to the black cat who stood before each of them. "I know you will wonder after I die, but I forgive you. For everything you said. You were right, but that was my mistake. And my mistake might have also save the clans." Cinderheart began to fade, and Hollypaw felt small.

"I love you, mother," Hollypaw choked out. Turning around, her brother's were fading to, but they didn't seem to mind. Jaypaw's eyes held emotion, while Lionpaw looked as if he was about to cry. But Hollypaw felt more at peace than either of them. _I have been forgiven, and we still need to look to our future…_

Hollypaw opened her eyes, and looked at her right forepaw again. It was black, but when she blinked, she noticed a few white furs. _So, what I saw was all of our future's,_ Hollypaw thought, and then remembered Cinderheart. Both her brother's stood up, and Lionpaw only gave a quick glance to his littermates before heading out of the den.

Jaypaw's blue eyes looked over to Hollypaw, and she noticed the depth of his sadness within them. But she also noticed the sparkle in his eye, the knowing of a prophecy involving them. _How does he know so much?_ Hollypaw thought, and Jaypaw gave a slight smile. "That's for me to know, and you to find out," he meowed before heading out of the den. _Did he just?_ "Yeah, I did," Jaypaw meowed to Hollypaw from outside the den. _You piece of-_ "Don't even _think_ about it," Jaypaw emphasized the word think, and Hollypaw couldn't suppress a smile. Quickly removing it, she padded out of the den.

Outside was Dustflash and Leafpool. "We need to give you some grave news," Dustflash meowed, his voice low. "Cinderheart might die."

 _I know…_ Hollypaw thought.

"She's in the medicine den right now," Leafpool muttered. "This will be your last chance to see her." Hollypaw and her littermates nodded, quietly padding over to the medicine den. Inside, Cinderheart was barely breathing, and the cobwebs that covered her side were drenched with blood. _Oh, Starclan,_ Hollypaw thought she was going to throw up at the sight. Not because of the blood, but because of the realization that soon, her mother would never be alive.

Jaypaw was the first to bury his nose in their mother's fur, and he closed his eyes. Lionpaw went up next, and Hollypaw saw the tears in his brother's eyes. Padding up, she thought, _I am so sorry for everything I said to you on the night of the gathering. I wish I could take it all back, just to see you live happy…_

Hollypaw let all her senses be consumed by her mother, and no one else. Her brother's didn't seem to exist at the moment, and her nose only smelled her mother's warm fur. _I wish you could stay,_ Hollypaw cried. _I would trade my life, just to save yours…_

" _Hollykit, Jaykit, Lionkit," Stormstar meowed. "Please step forward." Hollykit looked up to the Thunderclan leader, excitement collecting in her stomach. Cinderheart licked her ears._

" _Go forward," Cinderheart meowed calmingly, and Hollykit felt the anxiety slowly ease away._ I will become the best warrior, alongside my brothers, _Hollykit promised herself._ We will be the best littermates the clans have ever seen _, Hollykit thought as she padded up to Stormstar._

 _Watching Lionkit become Lionpaw and Jaykit become Jaypaw, Hollykit was more excited. "Hollykit," Stormstar meowed, "from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw." Hollypaw's excitement was barely containable as she waited to hear who would mentor her. "I will be your mentor," Stormstar meowed._

 _In a heart-beat, Hollypaw's excitement leaped through the trees. Padding up to her mentor, she touched noses with Stormstar, and drank in the scent of her mentor for a moment. But one thought crossed her mind._ How can she train me, when she will give birth to one kit very soon? _But Hollypaw ignored it, and went out of the camp with her new mentor… The last thing she saw before leaving camp was her mother's loving, warmth of her blue eyes and smile..._

Hollypaw was completely lost in memories of her mother when she felt Jaypaw's tail touch her shoulder. "It's okay," he meowed. "I can guarantee that we'll see her again. I promise." Hollypaw nodded. "Come on, you've been lost in memory since sun-high. The moon is rising now," Jaypaw nudged Hollypaw, and Hollypaw didn't want to move. Jaypaw eventually took his claw and prodded her with it, and that got Hollypaw to move.

Feeling her tears drop, she heard them hit the stone floor. Lionpaw and Jaypaw walked out of the den, and Hollypaw hesitated. _I will miss you,_ Hollypaw thought and padded out of the den with Jaypaw and Lionpaw. In their place, Leafpool and Squirrelflight lifted the warrior and put her in the clearing. Cinderheart's breathing had stopped some time ago, and Hollypaw never noticed. _I still can't believe she's dead…_ The realization hit Hollypaw some time ago, but it affected her now more than earlier.

She began to forget about the dream that her and her littermates shared. It was time for a true vigil, and Hollypaw waited out the entire night, from moon-high to sunrise. Only memories from her mother would enter her mind, from the time Hollypaw was a kit until she was an apprentice. All the warm scents that she remembered, all the sadness she shared with her mother.

But the one memory that kept repeating itself was the gathering. _If I wasn't so rude, maybe Cinderheart would still be alive. I would've protected her until the very end, just to seek forgiveness. I shouldn't have said anything at all…_

The bright rays of dawn showered the three apprentices, as well as Leafpool and Squirrelflight. The only other cat that was close to Cinderheart was Silverpelt, who was keeping vigil about a tail-length away. Hollypaw was the first to stand up. _I need to look past this, but I will never forget you, mother…_

Padding away, she went toward the entrance. Jaypaw padded up beside her, and they walked into the forest together. "You know," Jaypaw meowed, "When we shared that dream, I was confused at first. I saw color, my sense of smell was lessoned, and I realized I was in a waterfall. I came out, and saw you and Lionpaw. We all looked so much older than we actually were. Then I looked into the waterfall, and saw myself. I had dark blue eyes, which flashed pale blue for a heart-beat. Then Cinderheart spoke, and I could read her thoughts perfectly. She is in Starclan now, watching over us. Helping us guide ourselves and each other to our destinies."

Hollypaw coughed, trying not to cry, and when they got to the lakeside, she burst into tears. She didn't need to say anything, Jaypaw would already know anyway. "It's alright," Jaypaw meowed soothingly. "She forgave you already, and you know that. Don't let it bother you, because we have something important handed down to us. Let's work to achieve it, if not for ourselves, then for Cinderheart."

Coughing again, Hollypaw wiped her tears away with her tail, and felt the sun hit her dark pelt. _I know you're always watching me,_ Hollypaw thought as she looked at the last star in the sky disappear until it was time for night once again.

Jaypaw then padded back towards camp, and Hollypaw followed. When they were able to get back into camp, Dustflash padded up to her. "Do you want to train to take your mind off Cinderheart?" Dustflash asked. Hollypaw nodded. "Good, because I want to show you some secret techniques the clan doesn't know."

But Hollypaw still couldn't feel quite… Excited. Something seemed to block her, but she followed Dustflash to the training ground.

In the center of the training ground, Dustflash meowed, "Not a single cat know my techniques. Your mother never knew it, and neither did Bramblestar."

"How did you learn them then?" Hollypaw asked.

Dustflash laughed. "I taught myself."

 _And I feel like you're lying to me,_ Hollypaw thought, but nodded to let Dustflash continue. "Okay, I want you to copy my movements," Dustflash meowed. "Don't move, and then try the move on me once I'm done showing you." Dustflash bolted forward, and Hollypaw almost flinched. In a heart-beat, Dustflash had used his tail to blind Hollypaw and then, when Hollypaw regained her senses, she realized Dustflash was behind her. Then her paws were shoved from beneath her and she fell to her side. Dustflash placed his paw on her neck. "Now you try," he meowed.

Hollypaw's thoughts were now on training, and she worked until sun-high to perfect the move. It was hard to use her tail as an offensive mechanism, but she quickly grew used to it as the time went by. Hollypaw realized how useful the tail could be when in the center of combat.

"Go," Dustflash meowed. Hollypaw bolted for him, and swung her tail in his face, stunning him and getting a chance to leap over the gray and brown tom. When she was on the other side, she instantly shoved his paws from beneath him, but instead of hitting, Dustflash jumped to the side. "I'm not letting you win so easily," he meowed. "I don't want you to just perfect the move. _Innovate_ it. Make it better."

Nodding, Hollypaw dashed for Dustflash. This time, she leaped to the side, catching Dustflash off-guard, and whacked his face with her tail. Dustflash, still stunned, fought to regain his balance. But Hollypaw, quick as she was, was able to knock Dustflash off his paws and quickly get to his neck.

"How was that?" Hollypaw meowed triumphantly.

Dustflash laughed. "Good, now get off me you great lump of fur!" Hollypaw jumped off him, kicking his chest, and he coughed. "You mouse-brain," he smiled. "Use that on Lionpaw if you ever train with him, because it's ineffective against your blind brother." Giving one last cough, Dustflash left the clearing, and Hollypaw stared at the sky.

By the time they were done training, it was almost sunset, and the first set of stars were appearing in the sky. _Please, watch over me, Cinderheart. I feel lost without you now…_

With that, Hollypaw padded back to camp, ready to sleep…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Do I really need to remind you now? You all should know the drill!_


	7. Chapter 6

One amber eye opened, and Dustflash felt alone, and cold. Climbing to his paws, he realized why. All around him, there were half dead trees, and high in the sky was nothing but pure darkness. _No,_ Dustflash thought, hoping he was wrong. Quickly, he started to pad toward something. He wanted to make sure he wasn't where he thought he was. A sound struck his ears, and he knew exactly where he was.

 _No,_ Dustflash kept telling himself just to keep his heart-rate down. _Not the dark forest… I can't come back here… Not after what happened…_ Padding away from the river, he tried to find a way out. _I know that there is a boundary to Starclan, I just need to find it!_

"You can't leave," a deep growl sounded behind him. Dustflash looked behind him to see Tigerstar, or at least, someone that looked like him. Looking at the cat directly in the eye, he looked for any sign of the evil cat in the one standing in front of him. "If you're wondering, I am Tigerstar," the dark tabby meowed. _Figures,_ Dustflash almost growled and he went to his fighting crouch. Tigerstar only chuckled. "I'm not able to fight now," he meowed, and Dustflash saw little specks of fur and skin that seemed to deteriorate from the old cat.

"What do you want?" Dustflash growled. "You shouldn't have brought me here."

"I didn't," Tigerstar smiled. "Mapleshade did." A small, lithe ginger she-cat came out of the bushes. Dustflash kept his eyes narrowed, and looked at Mapleshade. "You see," Tigerstar meowed, "I can't support my own soul anymore. But the dark forest still has use for me. Mapleshade here is going to help me get rid of you."

Dustflash stood all the way up now, and looked at both of them. _Tigerstar is deteriorating,_ he analyzed. _Mapleshade is helping him get back to full strength. I wonder…_ Dustflash knew he didn't have much time to ponder the thoughts in his mind, and instead, bolted. "You can't escape the dark forest, Dustflash!" Tigerstar's voice echoed through the trees. But Dustflash didn't care, if he could stay away from Tigerstar, he should be fine.

Running, he started to sniff prey and fresh leaves. _I'm coming close to the Starclan border!_ Dustflash realized and made on final jump through the dark forest. On the other side stood a blue she-cat and another dark tabby, and they both stared at Dustflash with amazement, like they didn't expect him to be there.

"What are you doing here, Dustflash?" the dark tabby asked. _It's Bramblestar! Thank Starclan!_ Dustflash took a deep breath, but Bluestar interrupted him.

"No need to ask that question, Bramblestar," the blue she-cat meowed. "Dustflash hasn't done anything wrong. In fact, Mapleshade was the one that called him to the dark forest. I was just surprised he found his way to the border between us." Bluestar's gaze was serious, and Dustflash felt smaller under them. "That's why I brought you here, because Tigerstar wouldn't dare mess with his son at such low strength."

Dustflash only had one question. "What happened to Tigerstar? He looked as if he was deteriorating." Bramblestar and Bluestar exchanged glances, and Bramblestar spoke first.

"When Tigerstar took control of one of my lives, he didn't know the consequences of what would happen if he lost," Bramblestar explained. "When you destroyed him, his spirit was ripped into shreds, spread on Starclan territory. We have all the pieces hidden away, deep within our hunting grounds, where Tigerstar would never find them. But," Bramblestar added, "there is a catch. There is another way for Tigerstar to gain his power back. He must kill someone related to him, and he doesn't seem to be able to reach Bramblekit. You are his only hope for survival unless he mounts a frontal assault on Starclan just to get his soul pieces back."

"Sounds complicated," Dustflash sighed. "Mapleshade helping Tigerstar retrieve something that sounds impossible beyond wildest dreams." Dustflash looked back at the border, and it seemed like a waterfall that flowed before them. "Let's just hope that he can't get any part of his soul back," Dustflash muttered. Turning back around, both the Starclan cats were gone. A sound of rushing water made his ears twitch, and he padded toward the sound.

Going through the trees, and padding through a bush, he saw the water crashing against sand. In front of him, was Bramblestar, but a younger version of him, probably at the end of his apprentice stage. Another dark tabby was in the river, and the younger version of Bramblestar said, "Go, follow the blood…"

Not going to ignore orders from his father, Dustflash followed the dark body in the water. It kept going farther and farther away, hitting small stones, and above Dustflash, was plenty of clouds, as far as the eye could see. Then the body hit something, and Dustflash was finally able to catch up. When he got closer, he realized it was Tigerstar's body, and the river was coated in blood, even the sand that touched the river seemed a little red. But that wasn't what caught Dustflash's eye.

It was what Tigerstar was caught on.

"You must step in his blood to see the truth," Bramblestar's voice sounded younger, and a tail touched Dustflash. "Step in the blood of your true enemy, and grab what he so dearly latches onto." Dustflash's stomach felt heavy with anxiety, but Dustflash placed one paw experimentally into the red water. "Keep going," Bramblestar's soft voice seemed to cheer Dustflash on. Putting his second paw in the water, it seemed to become smooth, lapping at his paws like the lake water.

The river was only three fox-lengths wide, but Dustflash never really liked water. Especially during one of the training sessions he had with Tigerstar, when the dark tabby forced him to fight in one of the thick rivers of the dark forest. Padding forward, Dustflash felt a drop point directly in front of him. _I have to swim…_

"Swim, Dustflash," Bramblestar meowed. "Swimming may be the only way to save Thunderclan." So Dustflash began to paddle, and he felt the water hit his nose and he pushed himself farther until he could reach Tigerstar's dark tabby body. "I fear that time may run out," Bramblestar meowed softly. "The time for the clans may be over if Tigerstar wins…"

In a few heart-beats, Dustflash was able to get to whatever was keeping Tigerstar in his place. _A stick?_ He questioned as he felt the smooth bark with his paws. "Bring it to the shore," Bramblestar commanded, and in another few heart-beats, Dustflash paddled to the shore, and coughed. Putting the stick onto the shore, Dustflash inspected it. Flipping it over, he saw claw marks on the stick, and there was probably thirteen or fourteen.

Realization hit his mind, and he muttered, "We aren't the first to be around this lake…"

Bramblestar nodded. "Our clans are more entwined with the Tribe of Rushing Water than even Starclan first thought. The clans down by the lake are all somehow related to the tribe. Even you," Bramblestar finished. "So many seasons have passed, that the clans forgot their heritage, and very few are still descendents of the tribe. Most went to live with Skyclan, because that was where the majority of the descendents were."

Dustflash went to speak, but Bramblestar's tail silenced him.

"Find this stick in the waking world," Bramblestar meowed. "It has travelled so many places, and has the marks of many dead upon it. Find it beyond the river on the Riverclan side of the lake, and that is where you will find it." Bramblestar faded from Dustflash's sight, and Dustflash studied the stick again before his mind started to numb. The stick seemed to blur, and when Dustflash looked up, his vision was completely blurred, then everything was dark.

The last words he heard before being consumed by sleep was-

 _Carry on wayward son..._

Before he even opened his eyes, Dustflash leaped to his paws, and woke up Roseleaf. "What're you doing?" Roseleaf growled, putting her paw over her nose. "Fox-dung," she growled, "Now I feel too awake to go back to sleep." Roseleaf stood on her paws, lifted one of them, and whacked Dustflash, who chuckled. "You are rude," Roseleaf smiled before padding out of the den.

Letting out a yawn, Dustflash padded out behind his sister and squinted his eyes at the blinding sun. Adjusting to the change in light, he went to the fresh-kill pile first, and grabbed a mouse, then sat next to Slyheart.

"You look like you saw a ghost," Slyheart chuckled as he gave Dustflash a curious look.

"No," Dustflash meowed, thinking about his dream. "I just had a weird dream last night, and I want to speak to Stormstar once I'm done here." Taking another bite, he chewed slowly.

"You sure are taking your time," Slyheart meowed. "Any reason?"

A thought suddenly crossed Dustflash's mind. _Look to the slyest of heart's for answers_. It made sense to Dustflash now, and he turned his head to Slyheart. _I should've seen it earlier,_ Dustflash thought. "Slyheart, I have a question," Dustflash meowed.

Slyheart chuckled. "Are you trying to dodge mine?"

"No," Dustflash replied. "I want to know, did you know Sol?"

Slyheart's smile faded, and an emotion entered his gaze. An entire mixture of emotions, and he turned to Dustflash. "I did," he meowed. "When he first entered Thunderclan, I knew I recognized him. He was the only calico tom I had ever seen, and his scent was familiar too." Slyheart sighed, and continued on. "When I was younger, I had a foster family. That's when a calico male and some others attacked my family. He tried to kill me, and I said a few things, which slowed him down and his paw was caught in a rabbit hole. Taking my chance, I used my full body weight and shoved into him. I probably shattered every bone in his leg at the time. What really put the pieces together when I saw him was that he was limping on that _exact_ same leg." Slyheart coughed, and Dustflash took another bite of his mouse, but he wasn't hungry anymore. He pawed the piece of prey over and Slyheart thanked him.

"I'm going to go see Stormstar now," Dustflash meowed a goodbye to Slyheart. Then he padded up the stone steps and almost tripped over Shardkit, who bolted out and went toward the nursery where Bramblekit was calling him. Stepping inside, Stormstar was grooming her fur, and she looked up at Dustflash. "I need to do something," Dustflash meowed quickly.

"What do you mean?" Stormstar asked, her visible blue eye holding curiosity.

"I had a dream last night," Dustflash meowed. He didn't bother explaining the entire thing, and only explained what had kept Tigerstar in the river. Stormstar nodded.

"I don't think I should send you," Stormstar finally meowed.

"What do you mean?" Dustflash meowed, confused and angered.

Stormstar sighed, and meowed, "I never said I wasn't going to have someone go retrieve it. I just said I don't think I should send _you_." Stormstar looked past Dustflash, then back to him. "We should send our apprentices instead. They would be less noticeable than an older warrior, and it'll be good for them. Besides, I have my reasons for sending them," Stormstar meowed.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to send Jaypaw?" Dustflash asked, thinking of the blind apprentice.

"Why don't you ask the three yourself?" Stormstar smiled, and Dustflash turned around to see all three apprentices in front of him.

Jaypaw looked as if he was about to claw off Dustflash's face. "Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I can go other places. And stop thinking about saying anything to stop me from going, if Stormstar says we can go, then we go. You can't stop us."

Dustflash smiled at the three apprentices. "Fine, do you need to know what you need to find?" Dustflash thought, thinking of the stick.

"No," Jaypaw replied for them. "We've been here long enough and you already gave enough detail to Stormstar about the stick that we should be able to find it."

"Dustflash," Stormstar meowed, "Lead them to the river at the edge of Riverclan territory and travel up that border until they are out of clan territory. That's as far as I want you to go, and then come back. These three should be able to find their way home," Stormstar smiled at the three apprentices.

Nodding, Dustflash padded out, and asked if everyone was ready. When no one said no, he continued out of the den and towards the bramble barrier. Hollypaw padded up to Dustflash, standing side by side with him. "So…" Hollypaw meowed, seeming a little awkward. "Why exactly are you coming with us and then leaving?"

"Because Stormstar believes I need to stay within Thunderclan territory while Shadowclan still threatens us," Dustflash explained. "I'm not surprised, to be honest, I think I'm one of the few cats she actually trusts with most of the things that go on in Thunderclan, other than Slyheart, Graystripe, Silverpelt and Leafpool."

Padding up the slope of the hill, they went down to the water, and began to walk three fox-lengths away from the water. Just like the clans agreed upon a few moons before. It didn't take long for the travelling cats to get to the river, and instead of heading all the way past clan territory, Dustflash just meowed, "Remember what the stick looks like, and find it. I'm heading back to the clan. I have a feeling they are going to need me soon." They nodded, and began to pad away. _My apprentice looks so much older now…_ Dustflash thought and padded back to the water's edge.

A strong scent of Windclan hit his nose when he neared the border, and he broke into a stealth run. Keeping his paws light, he realized that Windclan had travelled over the Thunderclan border, and something was happening. A strong scent of blood hit his nose, and went into a full on sprint.

By the time he arrived at the camp, Windclan and Thunderclan cats were fighting, and he felt as if everything around him was breaking down into nothing but dust.

 _If we can't even trust the cats at our borders, who can we trust?_ Dustflash thought as he launched himself into the mass of fighting cats…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment and follow!_


	8. Chapter 7

"So," Lionpaw's voice echoed aloud in the forest. "Why, exactly, are we supposed to find a stick?" Lionpaw turned to Jaypaw. Hollypaw and Lionpaw both knew what he could do now, and expected an answer from the gray tom. But Jaypaw only shrugged.

"I peeked into Dustflash's memory," Jaypaw admitted. "What I saw isn't for others to know, and I won't tell others what he saw." Hollypaw's heart sank, and Jaypaw turned to her with a hard stare. "Don't even think about trying to get me to reveal it," he growled. "I want to keep this between me… and Dustflash."

Hollypaw nodded in understanding, and kept padding up the river that they were supposed to follow. _Curiosity is dangerous,_ Hollypaw thought to herself, and looked at Jaypaw, who seemed to be paying attention to something else. Going into the deepest part of her own thoughts, hoping Jaypaw couldn't follow, she started to think about her future. _Do I belong in Thunderclan? I feel so… trapped._ Shoving the thoughts aside, she took another look at her gray tabby brother, who blinked, and placed his paw over a rabbit hole, and kept walking.

The trees around Hollypaw started to sway in the wind, and Hollypaw could smell the cold in the wind. "It's as close to as leaf-bare as we're going to get," Hollypaw muttered. Lionpaw shivered beside her.

"I agree," he meowed. "It's the start of leaf-bare, and we're on a dangerous journey to find a stick with marks on it. Claw marks to be precise," Lionpaw added, and he tripped on a twig. "Fox-dung!" he muttered, and Hollypaw and Jaypaw looked at him, both twitching their whiskers in amusement. "What?" Lionpaw growled as he licked his chest with embarrassment.

Hollypaw chuckled, "You call yourself a warrior, yet you can't even step on a stick without hurting yourself!" Jaypaw burst into laughter, and a Hollypaw made a sudden stop. In her mind, something was happening, and she felt the noise around her, felt the fur brushing her side. Something was definitely going on, and Jaypaw looked at her.

"Hollypaw?" Jaypaw meowed. "What's going on?"

Not yet knowing herself, she was still under the impression of someone else. Her claws were unsheathed, yet they weren't. Her claws struck something soft, ripping it apart, yet her paws were on the grass. A few, short, not very vivid images entered her mind, and a pain struck her side, almost like a bolt of lightning that just crawled through her.

And then it was gone, and Hollypaw coughed. A scent hit her nose for but only a heart-beat. _Windclan…_ Hollypaw thought, and Jaypaw looked confused.

"Windclan?" He whispered, and Lionpaw still looked baffled.

"What's this about Windclan?" Lionpaw asked, still looking confused.

Hollypaw forced herself to remain steady on her paws, and a realization hit her. "Windclan is attacking Thunderclan," she whispered. "It makes sense," Hollypaw continued. "In a way," then she turned to Jaypaw. "You remember that gathering? The one where Blackstar declared war on Thunderclan?" Jaypaw nodded, and Lionpaw was still looking as confused as ever. "Foxstar was giving these happy glares to the two fighting leaders, and was mostly looking at Stormstar."

Jaypaw frowned. "I was able to look into Foxstar's memories, and I didn't understand," he meowed. "She has a grudge against Stormstar for some reason, and the only images I had were of a flame-colored tom. Flamespirit, maybe?" Jaypaw seemed to ponder the thought. "From what I remember, I think so. It was only a few images, and it isn't enough to completely tie it all together. But I think that memory has something to do with it." Then Jaypaw sniffed the air again, and kept padding forward. "If we don't find this stick, then our clan may die. We have two clans coming after Thunderclan, and if we don't make it back in time, I fear that something else might happen soon…"

Padding away, Jaypaw seemed to know exactly where he was going. Hollypaw and Lionpaw followed, while Lionpaw let out a huge yawn. "The sun's not even completely set yet," Hollypaw meowed. "You're already tired?"

Lionpaw shook his golden head. "No," he meowed. "I'm hungry. We probably should've asked Leafpool for those travelling herbs." Hollypaw felt her stomach growl, and nodded.

"We'll stop soon then," Hollypaw meowed. "Maybe when we get to the next clearing. These trees are going a little farther apart, and it looks as if there will be a clearing soon." Lionpaw padded a little farther ahead to stay with Jaypaw, and Hollypaw felt a little alone. Quickly speeding up, she caught up to them and went to the right of Jaypaw.

 _Our lives are probably entwined, and if Cinderheart's prophecy of us is true, then we will be more powerful than even Starclan!_ Jaypaw gave Hollypaw a narrowed look, and then started talking with Lionpaw about some fighting moves. _Jaypaw can hear the thoughts of others, travel through memories. I can see and feel what's happening to others, see what they see. What does Lionpaw have?_

Hollypaw's thoughts travelled back to Cinderheart. _I know she's forgiven me, but why do I feel so empty? I feel like it's my fault, all the time, and yet I know it isn't. Where's my mentor when I need him?_ The three apprentices eventually padded out into a clearing, and Hollypaw felt something brush against her right side, and noticed there was nothing there. _What was that?_ Hollypaw thought, and realized that Jaypaw and Lionpaw were already going out into the forest to hunt. _I better hunt as well…_ Hollypaw thought, padding into the far side of the forest.

Smelling a vole nearby, Hollypaw crouched, trying to pinpoint it's location, and spotted it under some bushes. Slowly crawling forward, Hollypaw tossed a little nut from one of the leaves over. It took a few heart-beats, but the vole finally came out and sniffed the food Hollypaw tossed over. Taking her chance, Hollypaw leaped and didn't give the vole a chance to react. Delivering the killing bite, she ate her prey right there. She almost went back to put it on the fresh-kill pile, but remembered that she wasn't in Thunderclan territory.

Lost in her thoughts, she felt a tail touch her shoulder. At first, she thought it was Jaypaw or Lionpaw until she breathed. In that one breath, she realized the scent wasn't anyone she knew. In reaction, she flicked her legs out and knocked the other cat to the ground. Turning to look at the newcomer, who was a black, brown, and white calico she-cat. Her build was small, and her eyes looked up quickly in fear, but there was no threat.

"Sorry!" Hollypaw meowed apologetically. "You just scared me, that's all!"

The calico she-cat got up to her paws, and quickly licked her chest. "It's… It's fine," she meowed, sounding a little shaken up. "I just… I probably shouldn't have snuck up on you like that!" The cat's eyes turned thoughtful. "My name is Maple. Yours?"

"Hollypaw," Hollypaw meowed, and then remembered her brothers. "I've got to go," Hollypaw meowed. "My brothers will be waiting for me." Maple then looked at her curiously.

"Brothers?" Maple echoed.

Hollypaw nodded, and began to pad back toward the clearing that they had stopped at. "My brothers are Jaypaw and Lionpaw. We're out here to find something important to us," Hollypaw explained.

"Can… Can I join you?" Maple asked quietly, barely audible with the wind picking up. _I can't make any promises you'll be with us for long,_ Hollypaw thought, but nodded.

"Come on then," Hollypaw meowed.

"What's with your names all ending in 'paw?" Maple asked.

Hollypaw, chuckling, meowed, "We belong to a group of cats close by. We are apprentices, and eventually, when we earn it, we become warriors. That's when our names change." Hollypaw heard her brothers beyond in the other clearing.

"Where is she?" Hollypaw heard Lionpaw meow.

"She's fine," Jaypaw growled irritably. "You know how she is lately, lost in thoughts. Ever since-" Hollypaw padded through the bushes and they looked at her. "Hiya, sis!" Jaypaw meowed as if nothing ever happened. Giving Jaypaw a glare, she thought, _I know what you said._ Jaypaw rolled his eyes, and put his head on his paws, ignoring Maple.

"Who is she?" Lionpaw asked, looking at Maple.

Maple took a step back, with a look of shyness practically protruding from her gaze. Giving a slight snort to contain her laughter, Hollypaw meowed, "This is Maple. I met her out in the forest when I was hunting, and she wanted to join our little journey. I haven't actually told her much," Hollypaw finished when Lionpaw gave her the look of 'you told her _everything_?'. "She only knows that we come from a large group nearby. That's about it." Maple gave a slight nod, and Hollypaw meowed, "Do you want to sleep at the edge of the water with me?"

Maple then shook her head. "No," she replied, "I want some time to think." Then she went to the far edge of the clearing and put her head on her paws.

"Shy, isn't she?" Lionpaw meowed. Hollypaw only nodded, and then padded down next to the river close by. The rushing water calmed her down, and she felt something brush against her pelt, and knew it wasn't anyone she knew instantly. Opening her eyes, a faded shape stood in front of her, and the transparent shape was that of a cat. With it's tail, it pointed up the river.

 _Pool…_

That was the last word Hollypaw thought before a darkness made her body hit the sand…

"Why can't you just die?"

Hollypaw opened her eyes, and under her, she was holding down another cat. Yet, it wasn't her, her paws was brown and white. The cat who made the remark was under her.

"Because," Hollypaw replied in another voice. _Stormstar…_ Hollypaw thought, and she let the other cat go. The other cat was calico. _Foxstar…_ "I have nine lives, and I don't think you need to take any away. It wasn't my fault with what happened between you and Flamespirit."

Foxstar's eyes were filled with a sort of hatred. "You got between Flamespirit and I," she hissed. "It's your fault! Besides, rogue? What would you know about the warrior code?" Hollypaw felt her stomach tighten, but she forced herself to remain calm.

"It's obvious I know more than you," Stormstar's voice escaped her lips. "Get you and your warriors out of here. Next time, there won't be any mercy." Foxstar's eyes filled with a little fear, and she called the retreat. A wave of black crashed over Hollypaw, sending her mind back to the depths of sleep.

Hollypaw opened her green eyes, and found herself next to the river in the sand. Her senses alert for danger, she stood up and shook her pelt to remove the sand. Padding up the slope to the clearing, she watched as three cats walked towards her. Maple was behind her brothers, still looking a little shy. Lionpaw seemed to be explaining something to her.

"Come on," Jaypaw meowed. "We need to find that stick." As they padded a little farther ahead, Jaypaw whispered, "You seem troubled. What's bothering you? You know you can talk to me." Hollypaw nodded, but was still deciphering her dream, then looked at Jaypaw. "Don't worry," he whispered, "I'm not peeking into your mind, if that's what you're thinking. I'm going to try to stay out of other cat's minds as best as I can."

Nodding, Hollypaw tried to remember her dream. All she knew was that it seemed that she was looking through Stormstar's point of view. "I was looking through the eyes of Stormstar," Hollypaw whispered. "It looked as if it was during the battle that I could feel earlier. She had her paw on Foxstar, and Foxstar said something about Flamespirit. I think they were mates at one point, and Stormstar caught them together. Stormstar told her that if they attacked again, there would be no mercy."

"Sounds to me," Jaypaw muttered, "That Foxstar is after a little revenge. She will be a dangerous opponent for Thunderclan in the future. Shadowclan too."

Then Hollypaw remembered the words she heard before falling asleep. "We need to find a pool of water," Hollypaw meowed. "I'm sure that's where the stick is." Jaypaw nodded, not bothering to ask how Hollypaw knew, and she meowed, "Will you stop that?" Jaypaw smiled, and padded a little farther ahead.

"Only if you stop thinking about my blindness," Jaypaw shouted.

Maple gasped. "He's blind?"

All three apprentices burst into laughter, and Hollypaw was the first to stand up again. "I'm surprised you couldn't tell. His eyes are such a light tint of blue, it would be a little obvious."

Maple just seemed more surprised than most, and meowed, "What does he do within your… clans? Wouldn't it be impossible for him to be a warrior?"

Hollypaw shook her head. "No," she replied, "He can become a warrior. The only difference between him and the rest of us is that he complains too much."

Jaypaw stopped laughing and looked at her with the most straight face possible. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't complain," he meowed, and Hollypaw could tell he was trying to stifle his laughter, but he didn't contain it much longer and whacked Lionpaw as he fell over.

"Both of you are kits," Hollypaw sighed, smiling. But to her, this was probably the most fun they've had in a long time. With everyone in camp giving Jaypaw that look, as if he shouldn't train as a warrior, and Lionpaw was always thought to be strong. In fact, he looked a few moons older than he actually was. Some cat would probably mistake him for a warrior.

Padding forward, the path turned into a slope, and they began the climb. It was sun-high when they reached the top, and when they did, Hollypaw thought the sight was beautiful. In front of the cats was a very small lake. Around it was sand, and it seemed overgrown with green bushes, even though it was leaf-bare.

Hollypaw felt herself being brought forward, and she saw what they were looking for.

At the edge of the water was a stick with multiple claw marks, and Jaypaw padded up to it and grabbed it and began to feel it. "This is what we're looking for," Jaypaw meowed. "I'm sure of it." Hollypaw and Lionpaw nodded, and lifted up the stick on their backs. It was a small stick, but it felt heavier than a large rock. Maple just stared at them.

"What're you doing?" She asked.

"This stick is important to our clan," Hollypaw explained. "We need it to do something important." They began to pad down the slope. _If we're lucky, we could be back by nightfall…_

Travelling took a long time, and the apprentices were exhausted by the time the smelled Riverclan territory scent. "Thank Starclan," Hollypaw puffed, dropping the stick and taking a deep breath. "I was beginning to think we'd never make it…" Lionpaw and Jaypaw smiled in satisfaction at smelling someplace that was close to being truly home.

"You cats are crazy," Maple chuckled. "Going up that entire way to retrieve a stick with claw marks. Must be important." Hollypaw looked at the calico she-cat, and watched as she twitched her whiskers in amusement. After a few heart-beats, the apprentices caught some prey and began to bring the stick back home. Maple stopped.

"Something wrong?" Hollypaw asked.

"Should… Are you sure I should go with you?" Maple asked, her eyes landing on the lake beyond the trees.

"Of course," Hollypaw meowed, "If you want to stay, you can stay. I'm sure Stormstar would allow you to stay in Thunderclan. If not, you could probably stay a few days before you leave." Maple nodded, and then padded up to Hollypaw, keeping her pelt close to hers, her eyes darting from side to side. _What is she afraid of?_ When Hollypaw looked to Jaypaw, the expression he made was an 'I'll tell you later' expression.

They went down to the lake, and then began to pad about three tail-lengths from the water. Hollypaw could smell Thunderclan scent on the wind, and they kept padding forward. Each of her littermates seemed to just want to be home. _Our first time out of the clan territory, and we end up bringing back a cat. What will Stormstar think?_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! It's appreciated!_


	9. Chapter 8

It was a mass of fur and cats, blood had been spilled long before, and Dustflash felt himself begin to slow. A few heart-beats before, he had just gotten back to the camp, and had encountered Windclan attacking the Thunderclan camp. Screeching and fur ripping, and Dustflash quickly licked his side from a wound he had received just moments before. _That might end up being a scar…_ he thought as he went to the nursery. _I have to protect Silverpelt and my younger brother!_

Finally getting inside, there were three cats. One was Silverpelt, the other was Bramblekit, who was hissing defensively, and the last was a cat who smelled of Windclan. "Get out of here," Silverpelt hissed. Quickly, Dustflash took his claws and scratched the Windclan's cat back leg, and he screeched into the cool, night air. Dustflash didn't see the cats face before whoever it was, was able to run out of the den. "Thank you," Silverpelt breathed a sigh of relief and looked over to Bramblekit worryingly. "I didn't know if I could defend him…"

Dustflash looked her in the eyes, and notice the worry behind her sharp, blue gaze. "Bramblestar wouldn't let Bramblekit die," he growled. "Even if you couldn't defend him, he would come from Starclan, even if it meant disobeying Starclan itself. Your kit would always be saved." Silverpelt's eyes almost closed and Dustflash saw the tears from her eyes. "I know you miss him," Dustflash meowed, "but Bramblekit needs you now." Hearing the echoes of screeches from outside, Dustflash gave Silverpelt one last glance and she nodded for him to go on.

Running outside, he watched a calico cat move up the rocks to Stormstar's den. _I have to protect Shardkit!_ Dustflash thought as he realized that Stormstar might not be in her den. Leaping over some of the fighting cats, he bolted to the stones that led to Stormstar's den. Climbing up, he watched the calico cat disappear into the den.

"Foxstar!" Dustflash heard a shout from behind him. Turning, he noticed Flamespirit's orange and white pelt bolt up the steps. Dustflash was one step ahead of Flamespirit and his first thought was, _Does Flamespirit know Foxstar on some deeper level?_

When Dustflash entered the den, Foxstar and Stormstar were facing each other. Foxstar gave one quick slash forward, barely striking Stormstar's pelt, but Stormstar counter-attacked, putting her paw to Foxstar's neck.

"Why can't you just die?" Foxstar spat at Stormstar.

"Because, I have nine lives, and I don't think you need to take any away. It wasn't my fault with what happened between you and Flamespirit," Stormstar growled. _Flamespirit and Foxstar?_ Dustflash looked toward the ginger tom who was looking in horror at the scene before him.

"You got between Flamespirit and I," she hissed. "It's your fault! Besides, rogue? What would you know about the warrior code?" Foxstar tried to wriggle out of Stormstar's grip, but she couldn't escape. Dustflash was still trying to process that Foxstar and Flamespirit used to be mates. _But how? She's a leader, if anyone found out, her leadership would be jeopardized!_

"It's obvious I know more than you," Stormstar's growled. "Get you and your warriors out of here. Next time, there won't be any mercy." Stormstar then released her grip and Foxstar called a retreat, and turned to run. Both leaders then noticed Dustflash and Flamespirit, and Foxstar seemed to falter as she looked at him.

"Foxstar…" Flamespirit meowed, barely heard by any of them, and his voice cracked. "Don't go any farther," Flamespirit added, blocking Foxstar's path, and the calico cat looked at him in surprise. "We need to talk, to resolve this issue," Flamespirit's voice seemed to not exist as the air between each cat strengthened in intensity.

"There is nothing to talk about," Foxstar meowed, her voice was softer, and Dustflash expected her to be growling or hissing. _But she's also his mate, or they were at one point_ , Dustflash reminded himself.

Flamespirit's eyes darkened. "You are hurting everyone," Flamespirit meowed, and a little louder, "Are they mine?"

Foxstar lowered her head, and Dustflash heard her meow, "Yes." It was a low meow, and sounded a lot like some sort of regret. "The kits are yours, Flamespirit," Foxstar finished, avoiding Flamespirit's gaze.

"You shouldn't want them to grow up, thinking their father's clan is the true enemy," Flamespirit meowed. "We both chose our respective clans when Stormstar caught us. We chose loyalty over love, because you were close to leading your clan, and I had to be with my brother. I don't care if you hurt someone to get revenge, or if you left your family. But sometimes," Flamespirit coughed, and Dustflash heard Stormstar gasp a little. "Sometimes, you have to realize that everything is not under your control."

 _It's like he's repeating words from long ago,_ Dustflash thought. _Repeating Stormstar's words, maybe?_ Dustflash looked over to the Thunderclan leader, and noticed that her eyes were clouded with memory. Then he turned back to Foxstar and Flamespirit.

"Leave," Flamespirit meowed curtly. _He wants to end this quickly…_ Dustflash thought, and Foxstar looked up to the orange tom. "Please, just leave," Flamespirit meowed again, and Dustflash saw the hurt in his eyes.

"If… If that's what you want," Foxstar meowed, and began to pad away, and Dustflash watched as, quick as a mouse, Flamespirit gave Foxstar a kiss. Turning away, Dustflash padded farther into the den and sat by Stormstar, and as he turned back, he heard Flamespirit meow, "May Starclan light your path, Foxstar."

Nodding, the Windclan leader gave another call for retreat, and soon, the clearing was filled with only the Thunderclan cats. Stormstar padded up to Flamespirit, "Flamespirit," she meowed.

"Don't," Flamespirit meowed, looking at the moon that was rising. "It's for the best," Flamespirit continued. "There's no point in going on about it." Standing up again, Flamespirit jumped down to the hollow and went to the warriors den.

"The secret's out now," Stormstar muttered, and then looked to Dustflash. "Are you hurt?" She asked, pointing with her tail to Dustflash's side. Dustflash shook his head.

"It's nothing," Dustflash meowed, "There are other's who are in worse condition than I am. They should get treated first." Dustflash licked the scratch, and felt a little pain, but it was almost completely numb. Changing the subject, he meowed, "You knew about them?"

Stormstar nodded, her eyes clouded with memory. "Yes, I knew for a long time. They were together when Bramblestar was alive, and I caught them at the border. I've always wondered how long Foxstar's grudge would last, and now, I'm just hoping Foxstar will leave the past behind."

"I also noticed that when Flamespirit said that everything wasn't under her control, you seemed a little distant," Dustflash pressed.

Once again, Stormstar gave a slight nod. "When we were attacked the first time here by the Bloodclan cats, a cat named Gorsewater tried to kill me because she thought it was my fault her son died. Her son was Thrush." _I recognize that name, Stormstar's first mate…_ Dustflash thought, and nodded to let Stormstar know to continue. "I told her it was Thrush's choice whether he died or not, because he died protecting me. Letting me leave Bloodclan alive was his last gift to anyone, and I would do everything over again, even if I had to watch him die again. I got to become leader of a group of cat's I barely knew from the start, and I was given a family…" Stormstar looked at Dustflash, and meowed, "Go get that wound treated. That's an order." Then she went to the back of the den where Shardkit was hiding behind her nest.

Nodding, Dustflash padded out of the den. Leafpool was treating multiple wounds, and some cats didn't even move when she touched them. Only the rise and fall of their chests let Dustflash know they were still alive. Padding up to Leafpool, he meowed, "Do you have time to treat one more before continuing? Stormstar wants my wound treated." Leafpool sighed, and quickly went into her den, and came out with some marigold.

"Yeah, I can treat it," she meowed. "Since it's stopped bleeding, I will just treat it with marigold, so that infection settles in." When she placed the herb on Dustflash's scratch, he felt a slight sting in his side, but ignored it. _Nothing, compared to what Tigerstar made me do in the dark forest…_ "Done," Leafpool meowed and padded toward the next cat.

Going back to the warriors den, the only cats inside was Roseleaf, Cloudtail, Slyheart, Cedarheart, and Flamespirit. Lying next to his sister, Dustflash closed his eyes. He began to think if Hollypaw, Lionpaw and Jaypaw had gotten the stick and if they were coming home yet. _We need our apprentices, now more than ever…_ Dustflash didn't notice that he had fallen asleep…

The first feeling Dustflash had was a drowning feeling. He was in water, and he began to shake his legs to start swimming. But he didn't need to swim, and he felt his pads hit solid rock. Jumping forward, Dustflash realized he wasn't in the dark forest or Starclan's hunting grounds. In fact, he didn't know where he was. Padding forward, he noticed a large cave, and it was dark on the inside.

 _I don't know where else to go, besides, it's a dream. It's not like I could actually get hurt._ Then Dustflash remembered the times he went to the dark forest and trained under Tigerstar. He would wake up with actual injuries he received while training with Tigerstar. A certain scent hit his, and he began to pad farther forward, drawn by the smell that hit his nostrils. A cat, yet not a cat.

A loud growl came from inside, and as Dustflash's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed transparent cats looking at a certain cave where a growling came from. Curious, Dustflash padded inside, and looked over to see some of the cats he knew. Brightheart was in the far back with Fernwhisker, while directly in front of him was a giant cat. _A lion,_ Dustflash recalled the story his father told him. In front of the lion without the mane, was an orange colored cat, a gray cat who looked on the verge or actually dead. Then there was a dark tabby transparent pelt.

 _Bramblestar…_ Dustflash thought, and Bramblestar looked a lot younger. Like Dustflash's last vision of Tigerstar's body floating down the river of blood, the stick at the end of it with claw marks. _This is another one of his memories…_

Bramblestar gave a glance to Fireheart, the orange tom, and then bolted out of the den, the giant lion after him. Giving a short battle cry, Bramblestar turned around at the edge of the cave entrance. The lion jumped forward, and was also there. Bramblestar leaped and landed on the lion's back, and then something unexpected happened. The transparent cats around Dustflash moved forward and shoved the giant lion, yet Bramblestar was still on top of it.

Dustflash watched in horror at his father going straight through the waterfall at the entrance with the lion. Running to the exit, he looked at the waterfall, and watched his reflection change before him. Instead of him, his right eye flashed with a scar, and then back again. Then it flashed into a gray tabby she-cat, with a scar at the shoulder and right above the eye.

Then it was Bramblekit, who looked older, more mature. His blind eye wasn't pale blue, it was red, and half of Bramblekit's face looked angry, while the other half looked fearful. _This isn't just a memory…_ Dustflash thought. _This is a warning…_

Waking up, Dustflash thought he smelled a familiar scent, and stood up. Giving another sniff, he knew he recognized the scent. Except, there was a new scent among them. Padding out of the den, it was almost nighttime of the next day, and the sun was beginning to set. at the entrance stood Jaypaw, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and some calico cat that Dustflash didn't recognize.

Padding up to them, he asked, "Who's that?" The calico she-cat avoided his gaze, and gave a little frown. _Shy, isn't she?_ He thought, twitching his whiskers in amusement.

"This is Maple," Hollypaw meowed and dropped the stick. "We met her on our journey, and she wanted to come with us, so I guess we… let her." Hollypaw then looked up to Stormstar's den, and Dustflash followed her gaze to see Stormstar coming down from the den. Dustflash also noticed a large scratch down the brown she-cats side. Stormstar gave a little cough before speaking.

"Hollypaw," she meowed, "who is this cat you brought with you?"

Hollypaw explained that it was Maple, and Maple seemed to want to leave the camp. "She wants to join us," Hollypaw finished. "I told her that even if you didn't accept her, she could stay for a few days before leaving." Stormstar gave an approving nod, and her meow was light.

"Did you take into consideration that it may be getting closer to leaf-bare, and if we accept any more cats, we may not have enough to feed all of us?" Stormstar asked, looking at Hollypaw, who only nodded.

"Of course," Hollypaw replied. "But with an extra set of paws, we could also catch more prey. The pros outweigh the cons here, Stormstar, you must realize that."

Stormstar smiled, and meowed, "You are one smart she-cat, Hollypaw. Almost like your mother. Very well," Stormstar turned to Maple. "You may join us, and you will sleep in the apprentices den until you become a warrior. If you stay that long, of course." Maple gave a slight nod, and Dustflash then turned to the stick.

"So," Stormstar meowed to Dustflash, "What do we do with it?"

Dustflash heard Hollypaw and her brothers bring Maple to the apprentices den, and the first word he thought of was Mapleshade's name. "I don't know," Dustflash answered his leader. "I haven't had any other dreams concerning the stick. But I do feel that these claw marks signify something," Dustflash continued, using his claw to feel the marks within the stick. "Maybe it will be clearer in the future."

Nodding, Stormstar meowed, "Let's bring it up to my den. We'll keep it there until we figure out what to do with it." Dustflash lifted the stick and began to climb the steps to Stormstar's den, and when they made it to the top, all Dustflash could think about was Flamespirit and Foxstar at the edge, talking. _I feel bad for Flamespirit,_ Dustflash thought. _It must be hard to choose your clanmates over the one you love…_

Stormstar dismissed Dustflash and he went back to the den. The apprentices den was quiet, and Dustflash felt fatigue hit him like a claw strike. _I shouldn't be surprised that I'm tired,_ Dustflash thought as he went to his mossy nest. _Tomorrow, I'm going to change out this nest… I haven't had time too…_

During the night, Dustflash only dreamed about the night when he killed Tigerstar at the Moonpool. It always came back to him every once in awhile, the horror of killing his own father while at the same time destroying Tigerstar. _Yet Tigerstar wasn't completely destroyed,_ Dustflash thought as he rose to his paws, and grabbed his nest, putting it onto his back. Padding out of the den, he went towards the entrance when he noticed Hollypaw come up next to him.

"Can I help?" She asked, her green eyes glowing.

"I thought you hated getting moss for nests," Dustflash chuckled while nodding. "Let's go, before the rain hits." High in the sky, large clouds had formed above over the night, and threatened rain. Dustflash could smell the water in the air. At the entrance, he dumped the moss on the outside of the entrance off to the side so that no cat would trip over his mess.

Both cats padded through the forest, and went to the edge of the training grounds, where the moss grew best. Using his claws effectively, Dustflash cut some of the moss and put it onto his back. His pelt felt a little dirty, but it was dirty anyway from his old moss. Hollypaw came back to him and they went back to camp.

"So how was the journey?" Dustflash asked his apprentice curiously.

"It was great," Hollypaw meowed. "The scents and smells were all unfamiliar, and then we met Maple." Hollypaw's voice dropped, and she meowed, "I just hope she fits into the clan well."

"I'm sure she will," Dustflash meowed. "She seems to have the strength and build of a warrior, although she is a little smaller. Maple might even be my age, but I don't know if we should press her about it."

Hollypaw nodded her agreement, and they padded back into camp. Dustflash quickly put his moss into place for his nest inside the warriors den and went to the fresh-kill pile to grab a piece of fresh-kill. Grabbing a thrush, he went to the edge of the clearing and watched as some of the warriors were preparing for a hunting patrol and a border patrol. Silverpelt padded up to Dustflash and lie down next to him.

"How's Bramblekit?" Dustflash asked.

Silverpelt smiled, and meowed, "If only he was six moons, then he could become an apprentice." Silverpelt sighed. "It's too bad he would never know his father. Same with Shardkit. They are both alone in that aspect. They have a large family around them, but without their father's, it's not the same."

Dustflash gave a nod, and watched as Slyheart was getting patrols ready. A large scar had formed where he had been sliced during the battle with Windclan. Flamespirit seemed to be avoiding most of the cats, as they all knew his secret relationship he had with Foxstar. _He's going to need more friends in Thunderclan,_ Dustflash thought. _Maybe I could be one of them…_

"I'll be back," Dustflash meowed, and pawed the rest of his thrush to Silverpelt. "You can have the rest." Then he padded over to Flamespirit, who looked at him suspiciously. "How are you doing, Flamespirit?"

Flamespirit looked out to the clan, meowing, "I don't know. After that battle, I don't even know what to feel. Sometimes, I am tempted to go to Windclan and live there, but I don't think Windclan would accept me. But it's not like this clan is going to accept me after hearing what I've done."

"That's a lie!" Dustflash exclaimed. "Look, if you ever need a friend, I'm here. You were friends with my father, and I owe him more than anything. I want you to stay in Thunderclan, not because of Cedarheart or Bramblestar, but because you _want_ to. It's your decision, just like you said to Foxstar, it's your choice." Flamespirit looked at Dustflash, and he saw the hurt in Flamespirit's gaze.

"Thank you," Flamespirit meowed, "I needed someone to say that to me. Only because I wasn't sure I believed it myself."

Dustflash then looked over to Hollypaw and her brothers. "You choose your destiny," he meowed. "Some are born with it, and some may choose how it ends. But you have your own life, and Starclan can't control your moves, now can they?"

Flamespirit chuckled, and padded away. _What was he laughing about?_ Dustflash questioned, but shrugged. _Maybe it's none of my business._

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! Appreciated!_


	10. Chapter 9

The darkness hid her pelt perfectly, and Hollypaw didn't know where she was. Everything around her was dark, every tree looked dead and every fern seemed black. Hollypaw felt afraid at what lie behind the darkness, and already, she knew she was dreaming. _It's all just a nightmare,_ Hollypaw thought and forced herself to pad through the bushes. There were no scents that Hollypaw could distinguish, and when she came upon the other side, there was only a thick river.

Padding up to it carefully, she looked at herself in the little reflection of the water. In one horrifying heart-beat, Hollypaw took a step back. The reflection was showing a black cat with red eyes and a white paw. When Hollypaw took the step back, she felt her paw slip from underneath and she tumbled head first into the churning water.

In a heart-beat, she couldn't see, couldn't hear, and felt weaker. _Wake up!_ Hollypaw tried to tell herself, and felt her lungs begin to fill with fluid. But she knew it was useless. This wasn't the first time she had this dream, and it always ended the same. Hollypaw let the water take her, and she was plunged into darkness…

Waking up, gasping, Hollypaw felt a tail touch her shoulder. Looking over, Jaypaw's pale blue eyes were staring directly at her, and he seemed a little worried. "Same one?" He asked, and Hollypaw nodded. Jaypaw looked over to the entrance of the apprentices den, and then back to Hollypaw. "I'm sorry," he meowed, "But Brightheart's waiting for me for the battle training session. Maybe if Dustflash allows you, you can come with."

Jaypaw's normal solution to Hollypaw's nightmare was to have her come to a training session, but Hollypaw's mind flashed with memory. "I can't," she replied to her brother's attempt to calm her down. "I have an assessment today, you know that."

It had been four moons since Hollypaw and her brothers came back with the stick with marks on it. No one, not even Dustflash, knew what to do with it, and Hollypaw began to feel that getting the stick was useless at this point. Ignoring her own doubts, Hollypaw forced herself to stand up and go outside.

Upon entering the open air, Hollypaw felt the cold touch of leaf-bare against her fur. The smell of the fresh snow filled her nostrils, and she loved the feeling. Although leaf-bare was the time with less prey, Hollypaw always loved to smell the fresh scent of the cold snow that would layer the ground.

Hollypaw decided to grab something from the fresh-kill pile before finding Dustflash. Grabbing the smallest vole, leaving the rest of Silverpelt, Stormstar and the warriors, she went to the edge of the clearing and began to take bites. Visions of her dream always haunted her throughout the days of leaf-bare, and something always tugged at the back of Hollypaw's mind. Like she didn't want to be there at that moment, to go find that calico cat named Sol.

 _Sol knows nothing,_ Hollypaw kept telling herself. _Why should I go visit him over this prophecy?_ Yet, she found herself wanting to see the strange cat. _Could he know something?_ Hollypaw kept questioning herself, but there was no answers until she would find them herself.

After finishing her vole, she watched as Dustflash padded out of the warriors den, and his eyes shifted to her. Something seemed to be behind them, an emotion of some sort, but Hollypaw ignored it and padded over to her mentor.

"We still doing that assessment today?" Hollypaw asked.

"Yes," Dustflash nodded. "I'm assessing you on fighting, and Stormstar has already given me the go ahead to borrow your brothers and a couple other warriors. I will explain when we get to the training hollow." With that, Dustflash went to the apprentices den and shouted to Lionpaw to get up. Flicking his tail, the three were off to the training hollow.

The sun began to burn through the clouds, showering the cats in its rays as they entered the training hollow. In front of Hollypaw was Brightheart, Jaypaw, Roseleaf, and Cedarheart. Lionpaw padded up to join the ranks of them.

"Let me explain," Dustflash meowed. "Our best fighters in Thunderclan still need to learn more, even as they are warriors. I want to try something, and this is a test of survival." Looking over to Jaypaw and Lionpaw, he meowed, "Stand next to Hollypaw." Both looked confused, like Hollypaw was, but they did as they were told and stood next to Hollypaw. Dustflash continued. "Brightheart has the best senses in this clan, Roseleaf has the greatest speed, and Cedarheart has the greatest strength. In Stormstar's opinion, I have the best battling skills." Hollypaw noticed doubt flash in the young warrior's eyes. "For two days, you are going to be put to the test of strength, stealth, speed, hunting, and battle. This is the first assessment of its kind, as far as most or our cats know. You have until sun-high before we go to find you. Think of it as a little game of hide-and-seek." Hollypaw and her brother's got into a running position, and Dustflash chuckled. "Wait a heart-beat, fella's. You have certain tasks to complete for the next two days. The first is that you have to fight Cedarheart and Roseleaf at some point. The second is to catch enough for each of you to survive. And the final challenge is to stay away from Brightheart and I for the two days this is going on. The only rules of this assessment is that you have to have sheathed claws during battle, and that you may not leave Thunderclan territory."

A smile escaped Hollypaw's lips, and she thought, _Now this is a challenge._

"Don't forget," Dustflash meowed, "this is a team assessment. If one of you fails, I will have each of your mentors make you wait another moon to perform this assessment again. Ready?" Dustflash looked at the three apprentices. "Run," he meowed calmly.

Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Jaypaw each ran toward the lake first. They stayed at pace with each other, and Hollypaw remembered when she was underwater in her dream. Suddenly, she felt her paw catch onto something, and she fell over, landing on her face. Getting up, both her brother's were ready to help her.

"Come on," Lionpaw meowed quickly, "We don't have too much time before sun-high, and we're going to need to cover our tracks." Looking up, he then turned around back toward the lake. "If we get our paws wet, we can cover our tracks easily." Lionpaw then bolted through the bushes and Hollypaw followed, Jaypaw right behind her.

Running through the bushes, Hollypaw looked at the lake before them, and noticed Lionpaw's paws were wet. _He's right, it'll keep our scent to the forest floor, instead of in the air. But how effective will that be?_ Hollypaw began to think of other ways to slow down their pursuers, but didn't think of any other way at the moment. Dipping her paws in the water, it was heavily cold, and she began to feel the heat from her body rush to her paws.

Once they were all done, Hollypaw meowed, "Let's travel along the Windclan border. Then we could use the trees as safe havens from Dustflash and the other warriors." Jaypaw and Lionpaw looked at Hollypaw curiously.

"How would that help?" Jaypaw asked, fear edged his voice.

"It's worked against Dustflash some time ago," Hollypaw explained. "During another training session we had when he wanted me to perform sneak attacks. I was able to use the trees to my advantage."

Jaypaw then shook his head as they began to head toward the Windclan border. "Wouldn't work, he'll expect you to do so. When they start tracking us, I have no doubt they'll split into two teams. Brightheart with Roseleaf, and Dustflash with Cedarheart. Then we'd have to find a way to separate them. This isn't just an assessment of how strong we are or how fast we are. It's a measurement of how smart we are, how we can split up our opponents on enemy territory and defeat them as a team."

Hollypaw then had an idea. "We are supposed to fight Cedarheart and Roseleaf," she meowed, "Maybe if we defeat them before dark, we can end this assessment early."

It was Lionpaw's turn to disagree. "I don't think that's how it's going to work," he meowed. "Don't forget that we also have to be able to evade Dustflash and Brightheart." Looking to the sky, Hollypaw noticed it wasn't going to be long before sun-high.

"We need to at least get far enough away so we can cover our tracks," Hollypaw meowed. They began to pad about twelve fox-lengths away from the border with Windclan, and started to head to the thicker part of the forest. Each of them stayed quiet until they were near the far edge of Thunderclan's boundary, before a large stretch of forest was before them. "Let's split up," Hollypaw meowed. "Stay within ten fox-lengths of each other, and use our strengths to our advantage."

Lionpaw began to pad away into the bushes, but before his golden pelt disappeared into the white and green, he meowed, "What is your plan?"

"Dustflash will be expecting me in the trees," Hollypaw explained. "I can slow him down and keep him away from whoever is with him. Then you two can attack them. It'd be a good idea," Hollypaw finished, and her brother's nodded in agreement. Giving the flick of her tail, they split up, and began to wait…

Hollypaw's eyes began to feel a little heavy as the sun started to set. It was getting harder to keep her ears pricked for her mentor or anyone else, and her paws began to feel heavier. As she looked over, she noticed that Lionpaw was hiding inside a bush, and she noticed his eyes begin to fall in sleepiness. Thinking quickly, she clawed a twig off and threw it across the short distance clearing, hitting Lionpaw and surprising the tom.

 _Can we stay awake?_ Hollypaw thought. As Hollypaw looked to the sky, clouds started to form, threatening rain. Hollypaw could even smell the vapor in the air, and it filled her nostrils. The cold made her feel more awake, and she thought it would be best to sleep once the rain hit. Getting down from the trees, she went to Lionpaw.

"Where's Jaypaw?" she whispered, feeling her pelt brush against the leaves below her. Lionpaw then looked over to another tree, where Jaypaw's blind eyes rested on his two littermates. He nodded, and then took off across the clearing into a tree. Watching the gray cat disappear into the tree gave Hollypaw a little hope, and began to feel little droplets of rain hit her nose. Crawling across the clearing, the darkness was enough to completely hide her, unless light was reflecting off her eyes.

Placing a claw on the tree Jaypaw went up, she started to climb, feeling a little fatigued. As she climbed, Hollypaw felt a tail guide her to the side, and she noticed Jaypaw was smiling at her. "Come on," he meowed, "You need to sleep." He then nudged her with his nose into a small opening in the tree, and inside was almost perfectly clean other than a cobweb. Putting her head on her paws, Hollypaw closed her eyes, and heard Jaypaw's deep meow.

"Lionpaw, you keep watch until moon-high," he meowed. "Wake me up then, and I will keep watch until dawn." Hearing Lionpaw grunt, Hollypaw felt a warm and wet pelt touch hers, and she shifted over to make room for Jaypaw. "Goodnight, sis," Jaypaw's meow was a little groggy, and Hollypaw smiled before fading into deep sleep…

When Hollypaw awoke, she only remembered fragments of her dream from before. Most of the images in her mind were of her with red eye, her white paw bloodied with someone else's blood. Standing up, she noticed that both her brother's were gone, and looked outside. Snow was covering the ground, and in the distance of the clearing, she saw two shapes.

It wasn't Jaypaw or Lionpaw. Instead, Hollypaw noticed a gray pelt with some brown patterns, and recognized the cat as Dustflash. Dustflash was with Brightheart, and behind them was Cedarheart and Roseleaf. _Oh no,_ Hollypaw thought as she felt the wind change. _I'm going to be caught soon if Lionpaw and Jaypaw don't come, or I leave…_

Coming to a quick decision, Hollypaw waited until Dustflash was looking away before climbing down the tree. _My black pelt makes me look odd in the snow!_ Hollypaw knew for a fact that if any of the warriors saw her pelt, she would be more than just screwed. Without Lionpaw and Jaypaw, taking on her mentor and three others would be hard, next to impossible. Climbing down, she quickly went to the other side of the tree and looked around the side. They were heading toward the tree she was in. _My scent will be fresh, so I have to find a way to mask my scent. But the ground's too frozen for any mud!_ Hollypaw tried to claw the ground, but the snow made it impossible to actually get any mud. _It started with rain and ended with more snow!_

Looking around, Hollypaw couldn't find a way out of the situation. She began to hear their hushed whispers get even closer, and she decided the best decision was for her to run as quickly and as silently as possible. Turning her head, Hollypaw saw a small rabbit hole, but it seemed big enough for her if she could get to it.

Taking one last perception check, Hollypaw knew she could make it to the hole without being seen or heard. Running, she felt energy be renewed in her limbs, and she dived into the hole.

What she didn't expect was that it wasn't a rabbit hole. When Hollypaw sniffed, there was only a very stale scent of rabbit, and that there wasn't any other entrance to the hole. There was no fox scent or badger scent, so it wasn't dangerous with predators. It was dangerous because it seemed _unexplored_. Grass covered the entrance so easily, that it seemed like a rabbit hole. Warriors wouldn't dare try to enter because it looked small, but Hollypaw knew better. She was the smallest of her litter, and the only thing that made her look any bigger was her long, black fur.

Curious, Hollypaw took a few steps forward into the darkness of the tunnels, allowing her vision to adjust to the change in light. The walls seemed layered, like something had worn them down, or the dirt just randomly collected. The voices behind Hollypaw passed the tunnel, and she heard Dustflash say, "She's covered her tracks well. But where's Jaypaw and Hollypaw?"

Brightheart's voice answered, "I don't know. It's like they're ghosts or something, or just disappeared."

"We'll find them," Cedarheart meowed confidently. "Or maybe not," he added. "Now that I think about it, Hollypaw is pretty smart. She must have found another place to hide while we pass looking like idiots." _You got that right!_ Hollypaw thought, letting herself smile again. "Although, I think we were put into a trap."

"What makes you say that?" Roseleaf joined the conversation.

"Think about it," Cedarheart answered. "Jaypaw and Lionpaw are gone, while their sister seems to have led us somewhere else. For all we know, they could attack us any heart-beat."

Hollypaw heard Dustflash chuckle. "You're right," he meowed. "If anything, Hollypaw is waiting in a tree right where we wouldn't see her, but she could see us. Therefore, she would be able to warn her brothers. Expect to be ambushed. If she attacks the trackers, I'm not going to mind. Their goal is to not be caught, and defeat Roseleaf and Cedarheart. Let's check if they doubled back to the lake. It's where Hollypaw's scent trail was heading." Hollypaw heard them pad away, and their voices diminished.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Hollypaw travelled down the tunnel, using her tail to keep track of where she was going. As she went deeper and deeper, a light started to form, and Hollypaw noticed a large river. _A river? Underground?_ Hollypaw entered the large cavern, and looked around. It was magnificent, to know that something like this was under Thunderclan territory. _Once this assessment is done, I'm going to tell Stormstar,_ Hollypaw told herself.

Curiosity satisfied, she turned around, and noticed three entrances to the cavern. Almost panicking, she took a quick sniff and caught onto her own scent trail. _Good,_ Hollypaw calmed down as she looked through each entrance. _I wonder, how many are actually in Thunderclan territory. Shouldn't I be on the Windclan border? Or near it?_

Running up the tunnel she was in, Hollypaw began to feel trapped, almost suffocating. Instead, she focused on finding her brothers. _They couldn't have gone too far_ , Hollypaw decided, and as she saw the light from the entrance she came through, she began to feel happier. Giving a quick glance, Hollypaw knew that no one was around, and bolted for the tree that she slept in the night before.

Checking for scents, she realized the snow from the night before disguised her brothers scents. _I won't be able to get a trace of them,_ Hollypaw thought, and began to head to the edge of the small clearing. _I need to get out of the open, if Dustflash and his group catches me, then the assessment is over…_

That was when she caught a quick whiff of scent, and recognized Jaypaw, who bolted in front of her quickly.

"There you are!" He meowed gratefully. "I was beginning to think Dustflash caught you! How did you escape detection?"

Hollypaw shook her head. "Some other time, I have a new idea. We need to catch all four of them off-guard." Lionpaw came out of the bushes, and Hollypaw shooed him back. "Let's get in the bushes before Dustflash and the group get back," she hissed, and they both went backwards about a fox-length, hiding their pelts inside the bushes. "Anyway," she meowed as soon as she knew they were safe. "I think we can end this early. Let's just take them all out a once, and not give them a chance to think," Hollypaw meowed. "If we take them by surprise, we could be rid of Dustflash and Cedarheart easily. They are primarily fighters, so they would be strongest. Roseleaf and Brightheart both have speed, so one of us will have to focus on one of them to leave one cat left."

"Only flaw," Jaypaw meowed, "Is that we don't know where they went."

Hollypaw gave a smile, remembering the conversation that the group had had. "Wrong," she meowed. "I know exactly where they went. They are heading toward the lake, because they think we doubled back and are heading there. That's where we can strike them," Hollypaw finished.

Lionpaw gave a quick nod, "I agree. If we have to complete each task, then this is the best way to do it. Let's give it a shot. If we fail, what's another moon?" Jaypaw smiled in agreement.

"If we make it, I will be a warrior to be feared," Jaypaw growled. Hollypaw was glad to see a spark in her brother's eye. _Normally he's so grumpy_ , she thought, and Jaypaw looked at her. "No, I'm not."

Hollypaw laughed, "I forgot you had your powers." _What exactly are mine and Lionpaw's?_ she wondered, and Jaypaw just shrugged. Padding away, Hollypaw led the way to the lakeside where they would see the group that was hunting them down.

A cold breeze began to pick up on their way to the lake, and Hollypaw began to feel a little colder. _It won't be much longer before I can sleep in my nice, warm nest,_ Hollypaw thought, and remembered her nightmares. _What am I going to become?_

Hollypaw caught a drift of Dustflash's scent, and then the rest of the scents started to come toward her. _They are or were here not too long ago,_ Hollypaw deduced. The scents were definitely fresh, and she flicked her tail, and then in her head, she thought, _Get ready._ Jaypaw nodded, and Hollypaw was glad he had that ability. _Go,_ Hollypaw thought while flicking her tail. Lionpaw went to her left while Jaypaw went to her right. _They're right in front of us,_ Hollypaw thought as she went up to the bushes and saw the four.

"We need a game plan to find them," Cedarheart was meowing.

Dustflash shook his head. "No game plan, it's a waste of time, and they have until tomorrow night to defeat us. Which means they might be coming up with a plan right now to find us and fight us. There is no time, because our clock isn't just until tomorrow, it's until they find us, and we need to find them."

 _Ready?_ Hollypaw thought. _Use our formation we practiced last moon,_ she thought to Jaypaw, and then looked to Lionpaw, who nodded in understanding. _Go,_ she thought, and Jaypaw went farther to the left while Lionpaw went closer to Hollypaw. _Perfect,_ Hollypaw smiled. _We have but one shot to take them out,_ she thought to herself.

Lionpaw went out first and caught the entire group of cats by surprise. His target was Brightheart, as she was closest, and he flung her towards the water, where Hollypaw heard a loud splash. Dustflash went to get Lionpaw, and Jaypaw launched himself from the bushes, easily bowling Dustflash into the water this time.

Then it was Hollypaw's turn, and she jumped out while the others were paying attention to Lionpaw and Jaypaw. Jumping out, Hollypaw slid into Roseleaf, and tripped her. Quickly grabbing her scruff with her teeth, Hollypaw used her renewed strength to pull Roseleaf into the water. All that was left was Cedarheart who was staring in surprise. Brightheart, Dustflash and Roseleaf came out of the water, all shivering and wet.

Hollypaw attacked first, and swung her paw to her right, and did a feint attack. When Cedarheart went to block Hollypaw's right paw, she quickly switched and jabbed his chest. While this happened, Jaypaw and Lionpaw went to either side of Cedarheart, and began a sprint. _Perfect it this time!_ Hollypaw could only hope. Last time they tried the move, Dustflash was able to escape without an injury of any kind. But this was Cedarheart, a completely different cat.

Jaypaw jumped while Lionpaw did a slide, and Jaypaw was able to land on Cedarheart's back while Lionpaw used his hind legs to push up. Lionpaw's strength was great, and Cedarheart was in the air. Jaypaw used his paws to shove Cedarheart to the sand faster. Hollypaw then rushed forward, and right before Cedarheart landed, Hollypaw head-butted his side, making the larger tom skid across the sand like a stone.

Behind them, Dustflash coughed, and started to laugh. Roseleaf was finally able to bring herself out of the frozen water, and looked as if she was about to start complaining. "You pass!" Dustflash cried out hysterically. "Head back to camp, I'm going to check to make sure Cedarheart is okay." Dustflash padded away to go help Cedarheart, who had coughed. Hollypaw felt something swell up inside her, almost like pride as she watched Dustflash, but Jaypaw and Lionpaw broke her of her thoughts.

"Let's head back," Lionpaw smiled, "I think we should get first pick of the fresh-kill pile…"

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment!_

 _I'm glad I finally got the chapter done! I've been too busy for the past two days to work on it!_


	11. Chapter 10

Earlier

"Shadowsnow!" a voice called over the trees to a black and white cat with a tear in his ear. The cat looked up to see the other tom heading over to him, and he meowed, "Something wrong, Whisperingmeadow?" Shadowsnow asked, wondering if he had done something wrong to displease his father.

"No," Whisperingmeadow replied. "I need you to check the border with those rogues. They are leaving their stench all over the place again, and if you see them, I want you to come straight back to camp and get some help. I'm sick of having to deal with those rogues," Whisperingmeadow finished, giving a sigh. "Meet Blackstar and I on the edge of the territory when you're done."

Shadowsnow, happy he could finally do something quickly went to the nursery before leaving. Inside, his mate, Fallingrain, had her kits curled close to her belly. She looked up to him and smiled. "Finally leaving camp for once?" she meowed cheekily.

Only a few days before, Fallingrain had given birth to two kits. Giving the honors of naming them to Shadowsnow, he named the small black one Darkkit, and then the white one he named Lightkit, in honor of his mother, who had died some time ago. "Yeah," Shadowsnow replied. "I just wanted to see my kits before going. I shouldn't be gone long," Shadowsnow finished, giving a lick to Fallingrain's ear.

Muttering a goodbye to his kit's, Shadowsnow left the camp and went directly into the pine forest. The smells filled his nose as he crushed the needles beneath his paws. _Another beautiful day,_ Shadowsnow thought. Shadowsnow kept moving through the forest, the sun beating down on his black and white pelt.

As he neared the border, he covered his pelt in mud to disguise his scent. It would be a little awkward to land in the middle of a bunch of rogues who hated Shadowclan, in Shadowclan scent. _This way, I could hide myself from those crow-food eaters,_ Shadowsnow thought, and he stood up, covered in mud. Giving a sniff, his scent was almost completely disguised now. _Now, to see what Whisperingmeadow was talking about_ …

Padding along the border, Shadowsnow gave another quick sniff, and quickly got a whiff of the rogues. _Looks like they're here,_ Shadowsnow sighed, letting out a smile. _But there is only one… Why is there only one?_ Turning his head quizzically, Shadowsnow crouched and crawled forward, and peered through the bushes. On the other side was a black and white tom, who was hiding in the bushes across a small clearing. His eyes seemed focused on something that was coming.

Shadowsnow squinted his eyes to see if he could notice any other details. The cat seemed to have a tear in his left ear, opposite of Shadowsnow's tear. Shadowsnow thought about just taking the cat on himself, but he wanted to wait to see what the unknown rogue would do. _He's acting suspicious, yet, it seems it's with purpose. I can't just attack him._

So Shadowsnow waited, and another scent came drifting through the bushes to touch his nose. _Whisperingmeadow is here,_ Shadowsnow thought, and began to pad out of the bushes as he saw his father. Whisperingmeadow's black pelt didn't disguise him in the sunlight, and then Shadowsnow heard a screech split the air. The black and white cat had jumped out and attacked Whisperingmeadow, while another screech sounded and Shadowsnow heard Blackstar let out a yowl.

Jumping out, he unsheathed his claws and grabbed the other cat. Shadowsnow proceeded to slice left and right into the cat's shoulders and face, and after a heart-beat the cat ran off. Turning around, he went to Whisperingmeadow, and noticed his father's eyes were closed. Blood was flowing out the side of his pelt, and onto the muddy ground, covering Shadowsnow's paws.

"Father! No!" Shadowsnow whispered, barely able to get out the sounds. Hearing a rustle from behind him, he turned around to see Blackstar, who looked at him in surprise.

"You didn't…" Blackstar whispered, and Shadowsnow could see an emotion in his eyes, something like when you win. Shadowsnow thought he imagined it. "Come back to camp with me," Blackstar growled. "I need to speak to my senior warriors in private…"

Shadowsnow sat at the edge of the clearing, wondering what Blackstar could be talking about. _What does the death of my father have anything to do with me? And what was that gleam in Blackstar's eyes?_

Fallingrain came from the nursery, and sat next to Shadowsnow.

"What's going on?" Fallingrain whispered to Shadowsnow as Blackstar came out of his den.

"I don't know," Shadowsnow answered, "But I think we are about to find out…"

Blackstar went to the tree where he usually gave his speeches to the clan, and he climbed to the first branch. Opening his mouth, he meowed, "I am sorry to say we lost a valued clan member today." Every cat in the clan gave a slight gasp, and then put their heads down in silence. "But that isn't all," Blackstar continued. "Not only did Whisperingmeadow die, but it was at the paws of one of his clanmates." Shadowsnow looked up in surprise, and looked to the cats around him. _What is he talking about? I didn't recognize that cat!_ "Shadowsnow!" Blackstar called to him. That's when Shadowsnow realized his mistake. _He thinks it was me!_

Padding forward slowly, Shadowsnow looked towards his clanmates. They looked at him in surprise, in fear, and a couple of them didn't have a readable facial expression. Once he came to the bottom of the tree, Shadowsnow felt anxiety claw at his heart. "What is the meaning of this?" Shadowsnow asked, mustering up all the courage he could to speak to his leader.

Blackstar gazed down at him, and his cold gaze seemed to freeze Shadowsnow in his place. "You were seen at the sight of you father's body, with no other scents in the area," Blackstar meowed. "I was the only one to see you, and you had blood all over your paws. The senior warriors and I have decided that you are guilty of your fathers murder."

Shadowsnow felt frozen, and the clearing was completely silent. Clearing his throat, Shadowsnow meowed, "Impossible. It was another cat! I never killed my own father!" Turning to the clearing, he felt sweat move through his fur, and he waited for the response of his clanmates. Then his gaze rested on Fallingsnow's green eyes. "I never killed my own father…" Shadowsnow whispered, turning back to Blackstar. "How can there not be enough proof? It was another cat, I witnessed it!"

But Blackstar only shook his head. "It was only you and your father in the clearing. There was no other cat there. Just accept your fate," Blackstar meowed. _The pride in his eyes…_ Shadowsnow looked at the leader with fear, and his legs began to shake. "The senior warriors decided that your punishment shall be death. Let Starclan judge you when you go to meet them."

The large, white cat jumped down from his branch, and unsheathed a long claw. Shadowsnow took a few paces back, and the crowd of Shadowclan cats spread a little farther apart to give Blackstar room to kill Shadowsnow. _It's not my time! Is this what Starclan wants?_ Shadowsnow began to doubt his belief as Blackstar edged closer and closer to him. With every pawstep, Shadowsnow felt as if Blackstar would just sprint forward and claw his throat.

Then Shadowsnow's tail touched the thorn barrier. The world around Shadowsnow seemed to slow, and he turned his head to Fallingrain, who was giving one last look to Shadowsnow, hurt filling her eyes. Her mouth moved, and Shadowsnow didn't have to hear her to find out what she had said.

 _Why did you do it?_

Shadowsnow felt his mind snap, and a new anger rose within him. _How could I be convicted of killing my father?_ He thought, and unsheathed his claws, Blackstar's steps coming closer. _There was no proof! Just me at my father's body…_ Shadowsnow's mind filled with rage, and he took a step forward. "I may not be able to prove that I didn't kill my father to you, but one day, I will be accepted somewhere," Shadowsnow meowed.

"How are you going to do that?" Blackstar snarled. "You traitor." Blackstar finally lunged, and summoning every scrap of training he could remember, Shadowsnow leaped to the side, and then lashed his claws out. Stunning Blackstar, Shadowsnow began to break into a run, and he was able to leap over the Shadowclan mass of cats. "Get him!" Blackstar snarled echoed in the silent air.

Sliding out of the entrance to the camp, Shadowsnow broke off into a run. He began by heading to the twoleg half-bridge on the Shadowclan territory, and his plan was to head toward Thunderclan territory, and try to pass through there without any troubles.

Yet the plan failed.

To his left, right towards Thunderclan territory, was a group of Shadowclan warriors. Behind Shadowsnow was Blackstar and the deputy, and to his right was another group of warriors. They were driving him towards the water, and they were going to trap him.

Desperate, Shadowsnow took his final stand as he jumped onto the sand of the lake. Sprinting onto the half-bridge, Shadowsnow stopped at the edge, about two tail-lengths above the water. Turning around, a large group of Shadowclan's finest warriors had trapped him. Blackstar padded up to the front.

"I would've given you a chance, but the evidence is too high stacked against you," Blackstar meowed, and Shadowsnow thought he could see a smile in the leader's cracked lips. "I'll see you in Starclan." Blackstar lunged forward, and Shadowsnow only had one answer.

Shadowsnow leaped backwards, over the edge, and every cat stared at him in amazement. All Shadowsnow could feel was air for a heart-beat, the next, he was plunged in darkness, water covering all his senses. Trying to move his muscles, Shadowsnow tried to get to the top of the water, to breathe. But his senses started to numb, and his mind was brought into a dark world…

Present

"What do we do with him?" A voice entered Shadowsnow's ear, and he tried to move. He could feel the sand beneath him, and Shadowsnow opened his eyes. Looking up, he tried to breathe, and instantly coughed up water all over. _Where… Where am I?_ Shadowsnow thought. "Are you okay?" the same voice asked Shadowsnow.

"We should get him to our medicine cat," someone else suggested, another tom.

"I say we send him back to Shadowclan territory," the first voice meowed, and Shadowsnow blinked his eyes. In front of him was a golden pelt. "I recognize him from the last gathering, and he has just become a warrior of Shadowclan. Shadowsnow, correct?" Standing up, Shadowsnow nodded. The golden tom sighed, and he meowed, "Head back to Shadowclan. I don't want you to get in trouble."

The name Shadowclan brought Shadowsnow on full alert, and he looked at the golden tom. "I can't!" he hissed, and his legs started to tremble. "I can't go back! Not now, not ever!" Shadowsnow heard both cats turn to him in surprise.

"What do you mean, you can't go back?" The gray tabby asked, his pale blue eyes seemed as if they could look directly through him. "Nevermind," the gray tabby meowed, not letting Shadowsnow answer. "Let's just bring him to Stormstar."

Shadowsnow followed the two cats, and gave a sniff. He knew he was on Thunderclan territory, and he felt a little unsafe. _This shouldn't be hostile territory to me,_ Shadowsnow thought, forcing himself to calm down. _Shadowclan should be…_ "Come on," the gray tabby meowed as they got closer to an entrance.

As they passed the bramble barrier, Shadowsnow felt eyes fall on him. Every cat in the hollow of Thunderclan territory looked at Shadowsnow with a suspicious look, and half of them looked as if they would attack him on sight just for a mouse-tail. "Head up those rocks," the golden tom meowed. "At the top, you can speak to Stormstar about your problem."

Nodding, Shadowsnow felt uncomfortable, and another cat padded up to him. This time, a black she-cat with long fur and a semi-white paw. "Let's go," she muttered irritably. _Note to self, don't mess with her,_ Shadowsnow thought as he followed her up the rocky steps to another den. As they padded inside, Shadowsnow was met with the brown she-cat, Stormstar.

Stormstar looked at him suspiciously, and then meowed to the black she-cat, "Leave. I don't think we can expect an attack from one such as this one." The black she-cat shrugged and left, and Shadowsnow was left alone with the Thunderclan leader. "What brings you here?" Stormstar asked, a curious look in her blue gaze. Long fur had covered her right eye, so Shadowsnow was only faced with her left.

"I-I w-was b-b-banished from my c-c-clan," Shadowsnow stammered.

Stormstar sat up and licked her forepaw, then set her gaze back on Shadowsnow. "Why?" _Such a simple question_ , Shadowsnow thought. _Not a simple answer._

"I can't… I don't think I want to answer that," Shadowsnow answered. "It's not like it's personal, it's just too early to talk about it." Stormstar nodded, as if agreeing with Shadowsnow.

"I think we can trust you," Stormstar meowed. "You look too afraid to be faking this, and it seems whatever happened, happened too recently." Fixing her gaze into his, she asked, "Are you looking for a place in Thunderclan?"

 _Do I have a choice?_ Shadowsnow thought. _Guess not…_ "S-s-sure," he stammered. "I don't know if I want to stay long though," he added, a little hesitant. Stormstar smiled.

"Doesn't matter, I'll have some of the senior warriors make you a nest away from our warriors den until you feel comfortable in Thunderclan, if you decide to stay of course." Stormstar padded out of the den, and Shadowsnow followed her.

 _Do I really want to stay?_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Sorry for such a rushed ending there! (I feel it was a little rushed…)_

 _Anyway, I decided that my decision was to add Shadowsnow, my first OC into this story. I'm also entwining his original story into this as well._

 _Anyway, don't forget to review/comment. Appreciated!_


	12. Chapter 11

A bright sun broke through the clouds that covered the expanse of the dark sky, showering the hollow in bright light. In the center of the clearing stood three cats. A black she-cat with a white paw, her green eyes staring up at the top of the hollow expectantly and excitement hid behind them. A gray tabby tom stood to her right, his pale, blind blue eyes seemed to see everything around him. Another golden tom stood to the black cats left, his pelt reflecting the light of the sun.

Each were waiting, and Hollypaw knew it was the right time, and she puffed her chest in pride as Stormstar padded out of her den, and greeted the three apprentices. _Jaypaw will be the greatest blind warrior, Lionpaw will be the greatest fighter this forest has seen, and me?_ Hollypaw didn't show it, but she didn't know what she would be. _I'm part of the three,_ she settled on, and then let Stormstar speak.

"We are here, under the sun today, to commemorate three apprentices," Stormstar began. "Dustflash, Slyheart, Brightheart, are these apprentices ready to become warriors of Thunderclan?" Each cat that was named gave a nod, each smiling at their respective apprentice. _They are definitely proud of us,_ Hollypaw thought, and turned back toward the leader. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Stormstar asked, and Hollypaw's thoughts raced back to when they became apprentices. _It seems so long ago now,_ Hollypaw smiled.

"Yes," Lionpaw answered first.

"Yes," Hollypaw and Jaypaw meowed in unison.

"Then, by the power of Starclan, you shall each be known as warriors. Jaypaw," Stormstar started with the blind warrior. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Jayfeather. I am glad to have you become a warrior, for despite being blind, you have shown courage and proved every cat here wrong." Jayfeather touched noses with the Thunderclan leader, and took a few paces back, leaving Hollypaw and Lionpaw. "Lionpaw," Stormstar smiled. "From this moment forward, you will be known as Lionblaze, in honor of the flame that your family carries forward. You have the bravery of a warrior, and the energy of a young apprentice. Thunderclan welcomes you as a full warrior."

Hollypaw felt anxiety reach through her body as Lionblaze padded up and touched noses with the brown she-cat. As he took a few steps past, he stood beside Jayfeather, and Hollypaw was ready.

"Hollypaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Hollyleaf," Stormstar meowed, her blue eyes not concealing her pride. _I was her apprentice for awhile, and we only had a few training sessions when Shardkit was taken care of by Cinderheart… She should be here,_ Hollyleaf found her thoughts drifting to her dead mother now, and then shoved them aside as Stormstar continued. "You are the definition of a true leader," Stormstar continued. "You have led your brother's through thick and thin, and you continue to strive for excellence. I am glad to welcome you as a full warrior of Thunderclan."

Everyone began to cheer the three littermates new names into the air, and Hollyleaf thought she heard a voice among them, but kept smiling to show her gratitude.

 _The blind sees, the gold reflects, and the shadow shrouds. Only with three can the darkness be defeated…_

The voice sounded familiar, and Hollyleaf promised herself to remember the words later. Hearing the cheers, Hollyleaf looked to her brothers, and gave one long look at Jayfeather. _You heard it, didn't you?_ Jayfeather looked at Hollyleaf for a heart-beat, and gave a slight nod. Then Hollyleaf changed the subject.

"You have proved everyone in Thunderclan wrong," she meowed aloud. "You are a blind warrior with true capabilities that no one else has."

"Thank you," Jayfeather meowed happily. "Now we have a real purpose, let's make it worth it," Jayfeather smiled, and he pointed with his tail to Dustflash. "I know what you're feeling right now," he continued. "You should go talk to him."

Hollyleaf smiled at her brother. "Won't you ever learn to not get into other cat's business?" Jayfeather just shrugged and nudged her over. "Fine," she conceded, "But I'll get you later for this." Padding toward the gray and brown warrior, Hollyleaf meowed, "Thank you for everything. I mean it."

Dustflash chuckled, and looked her in the eyes. "You sure are happy," he sighed. "My first apprentice has already become a warrior. Time flies, doesn't it?" Hollyleaf nodded, and licked Dustflash's ear in appreciation. A new energy went through her body as she her mind filled with thoughts of being a warrior now.

 _Everything will change,_ Hollyleaf thought as she padded to the edge of the clearing to see Maplepaw. Hollyleaf remembered when Maplepaw had first joined, and now, Maplepaw seemed more comfortable around everyone else in Thunderclan. Soon after she joined, she had gained her apprentice name.

"Looks like I won't be sleeping in the apprentices den anymore," Hollyleaf joked. Maplepaw gave a smile, and Hollyleaf sat next to her friend. "Think you'll be alright sleeping alone?" she asked, worried for Maplepaw.

She only shrugged, meowing, "Probably. I feel more comfortable here now."

A thought crossed Hollyleaf's mind, and she asked, "Why did you join Thunderclan, Maplepaw? You have never answered that question."

Maplepaw's eyes clouded with memory and emotion, and Maplepaw's voice was quieter. "I should tell you, since you are a friend of mine here. It was some time ago," Maplepaw began, and her voice quivered a little bit. _Should I really let her do this?_ Hollyleaf thought. "My family lived within the twoleg place limits, and one dawn, the smell of fox drifted over my senses. My mother and father told my brothers and I to run, and we did. They told us that they would follow, and we heard their screeches. As my brothers and I fled, I knew they didn't make it. A few moons afterwards, I woke up on a morning without my brothers, and the smell of twoleg was everywhere. I never found out where they went afterwards…" Maplepaw looked like she was about to shatter, and break down.

To keep Maplepaw comfortable, Hollyleaf wrapped her tail around her. "It's okay, Maplepaw," Hollyleaf meowed quietly. "You don't have to speak about it, I understand what you want to say." _She just wanted a family, like Stormstar's stories of herself…_ Hollyleaf thought. _So many cats here are here for that reason. They have a family… Yet the only real family I have are my brother's… What about my father?_

Pushing the thoughts aside, she heard Maplepaw meow, "It's fine. I… I should've told you awhile ago… It's just hard to talk about." Maplepaw put her head on her paws as she lie down, and looked out to the clan. Hollyleaf looked over the clan and saw Shadowsnow, the white and black cat with that tear in his ear. Jayfeather and Lionblaze found him yesterday in the sand at the lakes edge. The tom didn't really say much, but everyone knew that something happened in Shadowclan that forced Shadowsnow to leave, and be found on Thunderclan territory.

"Who is he?" Maplepaw asked, looking over to the tom with the tear. Shadowsnow was looking over to Stormstar's den, his green eyes full of curiosity, and behind them, fear. _It's probably fear of being accepted,_ Hollyleaf guessed.

"His name is Shadowsnow," Hollyleaf answered Maplepaw's question. "Shadowsnow is from Shadowclan, and he only just got here yesterday. No one knows why he bothers to stay within Thunderclan, but I feel he isn't going back to Shadowclan anytime soon."

Maplepaw frowned. "You should talk to him," she meowed. "If he's going to stay in Thunderclan, then he'll need a friend."

Hollyleaf felt her stomach churned at talking to Shadowsnow. "Maybe…" Hollyleaf sighed, and then stood up. "I'll be back then," she finished, and padded to the black and white tom.

Shadowsnow noticed Hollyleaf, and meowed, "Hey." It was short and dismissive, and behind his green eyes, it seemed as if Shadowsnow expected bad news. "Sorry," he meowed, looking away. "I'm just… tired."

"It's fine," Hollyleaf meowed. "So, what exactly are you doing here? Being a Shadowclan cat, you seem to not want to be around that clan."

The tom looked away. "I don't want to talk about it. It's not something you talk about so soon after it happens, and I'm just ready to try and leave it all behind me…" Shadowsnow's tail started to flick, and his eyes clouded for a heart-beat. "Please, just leave me alone… If you need me to hunt, I will. Just don't send me near the Shadowclan border…" Hollyleaf nodded as Shadowsnow went to the quietest place in the hollow. He laid down right where he was, and Hollyleaf noticed a tear leave his eye.

Feeling bad for Shadowsnow, Hollyleaf went to find her brother's again. Then Stormstar's brown pelt blocked her. "I almost forgot," she meowed quickly, "Find your brothers and tell them that they have to sit vigil tonight for the warrior ceremony. There will be no talking until dawn." Stormstar smiled. "Go get them, dusk is coming soon. It shouldn't be too long before dawn."

Hollyleaf gave a slight chuckle, and meowed, "Yeah, right, especially in the cold of the night. At least it'll keep my brother's awake." Hollyleaf saw both Jayfeather and Lionblaze talking to Leafpool across the clearing. Padding over to them, Hollyleaf meowed, "Remember, we have vigil tonight."

Jayfeather nodded, and Lionblaze blinked to show he heard.

Turning back around, Hollyleaf heard the she-cat's voice from earlier again.

 _The blind sees, the gold reflects, and the shadow shrouds. Only with three can the darkness be defeated…_

Hollyleaf sat in the center of the clearing, and watched as the moon was high in the sky. A bitter cold brought frost to her pelt, and a light snow started to fall. Hollyleaf took a deep breath, feeling a sharp, refreshing cold enter her lungs and keep her awake. Jayfeather was looking towards the entrance, and every once in awhile, his ears pricked.

Then he hissed, "I hear something."

Hollyleaf, not daring to break the silence, gave Jayfeather a thought to hear. _What do you hear?_ Jayfeather twitched his ears to show he heard Hollyleaf's thoughts. "Over there," he didn't move his head, and pointed with his tail to the edge of the hollow. Hollyleaf looked over slowly, like she meant to look over, and saw a pair of gray eyes in the bushes at the top of the hollow. Then, she slowly turned back as the slight scent of Shadowclan wafted over her nose.

"I'm going to go tell Stormstar," Lionblaze meowed quietly. "This isn't right." Lionblaze stood up, and Hollyleaf stopped him.

"Don't," she whispered, "I'll act like I'm going to make dirt. If anything, my pelt will hide me from the sight of whoever is out there." Padding away, neither of her littermates disagreed with her. Heading to the edge of the camp, Hollyleaf took a sharp turn into another shadow, and looked to the top of the hollow. The gray eyes were focused on her brothers, and she quickly went to the top of the hollow, and padded into the leader's den.

Inside, Stormstar was sleeping with Shardkit next to her. Shardkit's mouth opened in a yawn, and then closed as he put his head back down, deeper in sleep.

Before Hollyleaf could say anything to wake up Stormstar, a battle cry shouted from outside, and the Thunderclan leader bolted awake looking at Hollyleaf. "What's going on?" she meowed, a growl rising in her throat.

"Attack," Hollyleaf gasped, and went outside. Warriors were pouring out of the warriors den, and Hollyleaf watched as Shadowclan warriors were jumping into the hollow. Stormstar came from behind Hollyleaf and jumped down into the hollow. Quickly, Hollyleaf jumped down into the hollow, surprising a Shadowclan warrior and kicking him into the wall.

Turning to face the Shadowclan warrior, she recognized the black pelt and green eyes. _Shadowpelt!_ Hollyleaf almost voiced it, but quickly went to her attack stance again. Shadowpelt turned to her, hurt in his eyes.

"I'm surprised you'd hurt your father, Hollypaw," he muttered, wiping his paw across his jaw. "I hate seeing our family torn apart like this. You should bring your brothers to Shadowclan, they would be welcomed like warriors." Shadowpelt then stared into Hollyleaf's eyes, and she could see no deception.

But she didn't take the bait. "Stay away from my family," Hollyleaf growled, and rushed towards Shadowpelt. Shadowpelt went to counter a swipe, but Hollyleaf used her tail to stun him instead. Leaping over him, she placed her paws perfectly on the wall, and launched herself down, making Shadowpelt turn over, and Hollyleaf placed her claws on his throat. "Just… Stay… Away…" Hollyleaf growled slowly.

"Dark forest moves, I didn't know we had so much in common!" Shadowpelt whispered. "Tell me, who's teaching you these moves?" Shadowpelt asked sincerely.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hollyleaf growled.

"How can you not know?" Shadowpelt asked. "That move with your tail, it's used by Mapleshade." Hollyleaf pushed her claws farther down. "Okay, okay," Shadowpelt meowed, sounding a little worried now. "You wouldn't hurt your father, would you?"

Hollyleaf didn't reply. _Could I hurt Shadowpelt if I had to?_ She questioned herself.

A heart-beat later, she felt teeth sink into her foreleg, and she screeched in pain. Another cat dragged her off Shadowpelt, and then a force of paws hit her and threw her into the wall. After another heart-beat, Hollyleaf tried to stand, but her leg collapsed beneath her. As she looked up, Hollyleaf noticed a dark tabby pelt, and cold, ice-blue eyes stared directly into hers.

Then it disappeared.

Looking over, her vision began to blue, and the pain in her foreleg numbed down.

A voice echoed over the sounds, and Hollyleaf recognized Shadowpelt's voice.

"I'm sorry, if you ever need me, I'm in Shadowclan, waiting for you…"

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! It's appreciated!_

 _A little more until the finalization of my decision is completed!_

 _To Thornflower: What does your OC look like? Physical description, etc. If I use the OC, I need some sort of description!_


	13. Chapter 12

Shadowsnow couldn't sleep that night. He was too close to those of Thunderclan, and he tried to sleep. But every time he closed his eyes, Shadowsnow was reminded of his father. The blood that kept lapping away at his paws, and that glimmer of satisfaction from Blackstar's eyes. Instead, Shadowsnow padded towards the darkest edge of the camp and put his head on his paws. He watched as Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather were scanning the camp for their vigil.

 _Why was Hollyleaf talking to me earlier?_ Shadowsnow thought. _She seems to want to know so much, yet I still don't feel comfortable talking about it. Something tells me that Whisperingmeadow knew something about Blackstar that Blackstar didn't want revealed. Maybe that's why Blackstar was more passive about Whisperingmeadow's death and seemed focused on sending me into Starclan…_

The more Shadowsnow thought about it, the less the situation seemed to make sense. If Blackstar wanted Whisperingmeadow dead, he didn't have to blame Shadowsnow. In fact, he could've just said that there was a rogue attack… That Shadowsnow himself wasn't involved.

 _What if it's not about Whisperingmeadow's death,_ Shadowsnow thought, and looked over to see Hollyleaf heading to the dirtplace. _What if it's something about revenge? The logic is there, but where's the answer?_ Shadowsnow stretched his front paws, and a slight scent came over him. _Shadowclan is here,_ Shadowsnow looked around, and noticed pairs of eyes reflecting the moonlight above. Snow was drifting easily into the hollow, and Shadowsnow unsheathed his claws, scraping against the cold stone. _They have probably come for me…_

Shadowsnow watched as a black pelt moved up the hollow steps, and realized it was Hollyleaf. _Warning the leader… Nice thought, but with the fight that's coming, she would've been awoken anyway…_

Turning back to face the top of the hollow, he realized shapes had started moving, and watched as Lionblaze and Jayfeather gave a loud shout. In a heart-beat, the cats in the warriors den were awoken by the sounds of the battle cry. Shadowclan cats jumped down from the top of the hollow, and were instantly surrounded by warriors. Hollyleaf and Stormstar came out of the leader's den, and Stormstar was one of the first to join the fray.

 _I've attacked Thunderclan before,_ Shadowsnow thought. _Now I'm defending them… My life has turned around, but is it for the better?_

Shadowsnow thought about running from the hollow into the forest, but decided not to. If Thunderclan were to trust him, he needed to defend it. _I've already decided that this is my new clan if they accept me,_ Shadowsnow thought, clawing a Shadowclan warrior and grabbing the tom by the scruff. _It's my turn to defend them from something I brought down on Thunderclan._

Throwing the warrior into the bramble barrier near the entrance, he moved forward and tried to find Blackstar. There was no scent or sight of the white tom.

"Shadowsnow!" A she-cat meowed behind him. Turning around, he was faced with Fallingrain's green eyes, and Shadowsnow stood absolutely still. "You didn't do it, did you?" Fallingrain whispered, her eyes full of hurt.

"No," Shadowsnow answered, "I never killed him."

Fallingrain seemed a little stunned, and Shadowsnow noticed a white cat pad up behind her. His jet black paws made no noise on the stone as he came forward. "Fallingrain, trust your leader, he killed his own father," Blackstar's voice echoed in the hollow. "Kill him, he isn't worth saving from the claws of fate."

Yet, Shadowsnow's mate didn't move, as if the decision was tormenting her.

 _It's either kill the one she loves, or give up being a Shadowclan warrior,_ Shadowsnow looked at Blackstar. _I'm not letting her make that decision._ Shadowsnow rushed forward, claws extended, and sliced into Blackstar's side, feeling his claws rip through the Shadowclan leader's fur. Satisfaction met Shadowsnow as he realized he actually pierced through Blackstar's defense…

 _It was raining as Blackstar stood in front of Shadowpaw. "Again," Blackstar hissed, a playful gleam in his eyes. "This time, try to pierce my defense, would you?"_

" _Is that a challenge?" Shadowpaw retorted, and rushed forward, trying to claw through the leader's defense. Then Blackstar parried, and sent Shadowpaw into the mud. Shaking the mud off, Shadowsnow had a bright idea. "If I win, you have to bring me a mouse tonight, largest one you got."_

 _Blackstar smiled. "Deal."_

 _Shadowpaw did another rush forward, and Blackstar went into his defense crouch. Except this time, Shadowpaw didn't do a direct claw attack. Instead, he flicked mud toward the leader's face, stunning him. In a heart-beat, Shadowpaw used his hind paws to hit the leader into a tree. Then he placed his paw on Blackstar's neck. "Looks like you owe me a mouse," Shadowpaw meowed confidently…_

Shadowsnow's paw was on the leader's neck, and he looked down, remembering the training session. "I'm surprised that you would blame your own apprentice for the murder of his father," Shadowsnow meowed. "Shadowclan is in ruins, shambles, and anyone who has had a heart-beat on the inside of Shadowclan's borders could see it decay." Blackstar looked at Shadowsnow, and he began to laugh.

"Decay!?" Blackstar laughed. "You don't understand, Shadowsnow." Then Shadowsnow felt claws start tearing at his pelt and he was thrown over the rocky steps to the center of the hollow. Looking up, he saw three cats. Fallingrain's tears seemed to pierce his own heart. Blackstar's smile was that of pride. Then another pair of eyes, that seemed attached to a transparent body of a dark tabby. "Shadowclan is at it's greatest," Blackstar continued, and the transparent tabby faded, letting out a smile. "Shadowclan will take control of the other clans, and we shall start with the strongest, making our force unstoppable."

Placing his paws under himself, Shadowsnow heaved himself up, and stared directly at the leader. "You don't deserve the entire forest," Shadowsnow growled. Blackstar came down towards Shadowsnow, and began to pad up, claws extended. "Don't worry," Shadowsnow hissed, "This isn't the first time you'll die."

Shadowsnow rushed left, and feinted the Shadowclan leader, and flicked his body downwards. Sending Blackstar off his paws, Shadowsnow then used both his forepaws, and began to tear Blackstar apart. In only a few heart-beats, Shadowsnow had blood on his paws and the scarlet liquid was around him. Blackstar looked up at Shadowsnow.

"This is what happens when you become over-confident," Shadowsnow growled. "Take your clan out of here when you get back up." Blackstar's eyes rolled back as his head hit the stone. Shadowsnow felt a tail touch his shoulder, and turned to see the Thunderclan leader. Something was hidden behind her eyes.

After a few heart-beats, Blackstar twitched, and regained consciousness. Then he stood to face Stormstar and Shadowsnow. "You going to tell her the truth of what you did?" he growled, sounding a little groggy. _He must not have been healed all the way,_ Shadowsnow thought.

"Shadowsnow, what is he talking about?" Stormstar asked, still staring at the Shadowclan leader.

"Tell them," Blackstar smiled and padded away. The battle had stopped completely, and the Shadowclan cats began to head through the entrance. On their way out, Shadowsnow caught Fallingrain's eyes. Hurt, betrayal, and all kinds of emotional damage lie behind her beautiful green eyes, but Shadowsnow couldn't bring himself to say anything as she padded past him and into the forest towards the Shadowclan border.

"Can we head into your den for this?" Shadowsnow whispered to the Thunderclan leader. Stormstar nodded, and Leafpool came up to her. Stormstar ordered her to take care of those with the worst injuries first, and Shadowsnow followed the Thunderclan leader up towards the top of the hollow.

As they stopped at the top, Stormstar meowed, "So, what is Blackstar talking about?" There was no hint of anger, no hint that something had gone wrong. It just sounded as if the Thunderclan leader was tired, tired of fighting. _She probably is,_ Shadowsnow thought.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," Shadowsnow meowed, twitching his ear. "I just… I didn't know if I could mention it before." Sighing, he meowed, "I was told to head to the edge of Shadowclan territory to see if the rogues were there. When I got to the spot, my father, Whisperingmeadow, was there as well. In another set of bushes was a cat who looked a little like me, a tear in his left ear though, and the black patches on his pelt were different as well. But it was close enough, and I was about to warn him when the unknown cat attacked. I wasn't able react quick enough…" Shadowsnow felt emotion well up inside his stomach as he remembered watching his father die. Taking a deep breath, he kept going. "Blackstar came out of the bushes as I watched my father bleed out. He must've watched it happen, and he said that he had to talk to his senior warriors. In camp, he convinced everyone that I killed my father. I never did… I just…" Shadowsnow couldn't speak, and he wrapped his tail around his nose. A benefit of having a long tail was that, while even sitting straight up, he could wrap his tail around his face.

"I believe you," Stormstar meowed.

Shadowsnow was surprised, and he looked to the Thunderclan leader. Through his tail, he meowed, "Really?"

"Yes," Stormstar meowed, looking to the moon in the sky. "When they came here tonight, I expected them to be after you. After all, right after you disappeared from Shadowclan, appearing on Thunderclan territory, they come and attack. I don't think that could be a coincidence, and I feel there is more to you than meets the eye." Stormstar stood up, and padded into her den. "You are allowed to stay as long as you need." Then Stormstar stopped and turned to Shadowsnow. "What would you do if they were to sincerely ask you back? To be a warrior of Shadowclan again?"

Shadowsnow paused, and lowered his tail, thinking about it.

Then he replied.

"If Starclan themselves were to tell Shadowclan what they have done to me is wrong, I wouldn't care. I feel unwelcome to them now, and that also means they have lost a valuable warrior. If or when they apologize and ask for my return, I would decline. Shadowclan itself is in ruins, a mess. Even if my mate asked for my return, I would decline again. There would be no point in Starclan or anyone for telling them, because no matter what happens, I'm staying here." Shadowsnow finished, and was surprised his voice was even throughout his entire 'speech'.

Stormstar nodded, and padded into her den, and Shadowsnow took that as his time to be dismissed. Padding down, he remembered something, and quickly climbed back up to Stormstar. "Wait," he meowed to the brown she-cat. "Did you ever know a dark tabby with ice-blue eyes?" Shadowsnow knew he should recognize a dark tabby with ice-blue eyes, but couldn't remember.

The brown she-cat turned to him. "Of course, that was Hawkstar. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Shadowsnow meowed, "Just something I wondered." Padding back down the steps, he almost barged into Hollyleaf, who was barely standing. "What happened to you?" Shadowsnow asked, looking at her foreleg. Hollyleaf herself seemed to barely be listening.

"Shadowpelt," she meowed curtly. Something was definitely bothering her, but Shadowsnow wasn't going to push his luck. _I only just got here yesterday, and the Thunderclan leader is at my side. What more could I ask for?_ Padding away, he was about to go to a small cleft in the rock where he tried to sleep earlier, protected from the cold snow that was still falling.

"Uh, Shadowsnow," Leafpool's voice meowed behind him. "Before you go sleep, I want to check your wounds." Shadowsnow was confused at first, then looked at his pelt and remembered that the dark, transparent tabby had ripped apart his fur. Along his side, the blood had already stopped, and Shadowsnow shook his head.

"I can go until tomorrow," he replied. "There are other cats you need to take care of. I'm not that important around here."

Then Leafpool padded up to him, and meowed, "You are just as important as everyone else is. Don't make up an excuse. Just let me get the poultice ready." Leafpool quickly went to the medicine den, and Shadowsnow waited. The snow was getting his pelt wet, and he quickly went to the cleft in the rock again. He waited for Leafpool, who had come out of the medicine den. "Here you go," Leafpool meowed, applying the poultice. "Okay, you can sleep now. See you later." Shadowsnow watched the medicine cat go, and he then proceeded to lie down in his nest.

Fatigue overtook him like a black wave, and Shadowsnow fell into a deep, dark sleep…

Opening his green eyes, Shadowsnow found himself under large trees. Standing up, he looked around and found himself somewhere he never thought he would be again. _The dark forest has followed me,_ Shadowsnow growled, expecting someone. But nothing came.

Padding forward, he heard some sort of training going on. Tigerstar's voice carried over through the trees, and Shadowsnow shivered at the sound. _He's still here…_ Peering through the bushes, he watched as a golden colored tom was being taught something from Tigerstar. Tigerstar himself looked to be deteriorating slowly. _What's going on here?_ Shadowsnow questioned.

Then the golden tom turned a little bit, revealing his amber eyes to Shadowsnow. _Lionblaze!_ Shadowsnow wanted to shout out, to make the tom stop, but that would reveal he was here.

Something grabbed him by the scruff and threw him across the hard grass. Looking up, Shadowsnow felt a little disoriented, and quickly regained his balance. In front of him was another dark tabby, his piercing blue eyes full of happiness.

"Hello, Shadowsnow," the dark tabby meowed, almost cackling. "I'm-"

"Hawkstar," Shadowsnow interrupted. "I remember, you were the leader of Riverclan a little while ago. What do you want from me?" Hawkstar smiled in pleasure as Tigerstar and Lionblaze came through the bushes.

"You need to take care of the one who is odd in your clan," Tigerstar meowed. "Kill him."

Lionblaze turned to see Shadowsnow, and his face lit up with surprise. The golden tom hesitated, and then unsheathed his claws. "If it's for the good of my clan," Lionblaze meowed. Shadowsnow knew something seemed to be holding Lionblaze back, and he started to take a few steps back.

"You don't have to do this," Shadowsnow meowed, keeping his voice smooth and even. _I need to think of a way out of this!_

"Go on," Tigerstar prompted Lionblaze, and Lionblaze leaped forward.

Shadowsnow felt his side get slashed by the golden tom's claws, and leaped away in response. But Lionblaze was already on top of him, and Shadowsnow felt the claws reach his neck, and then stop. Shadowsnow kept his breathing light, so that the claw wouldn't pierce his fur and reach the skin.

Lionblaze looked hesitant as he stared at Shadowsnow. "Is it true?" he asked. "Did you really kill your own father?"

Shadowsnow heard Tigerstar and Hawkstar say in unison, "Yes! He killed his own father! Shadowsnow deserves to die!"

"Shut up!" Lionblaze shouted, and turned back to Shadowsnow. "Is it true?"

Shadowsnow knew that his answer now would decide his fate. "No," he meowed, trying to breathe with Lionblaze's long claw at his throat. It felt as if any movement he would make would be his last. "I watched him die, I didn't kill him. Maybe at an aspect, yes, it was my fault for not warning him in time. But I didn't kill him using my own claws. If I don't have to kill, I won't do it."

"What about Blackstar?" Lionblaze growled.

"You ever want revenge?" Shadowsnow asked. "Everyone has something bad in them. I developed the need to slice through that fox-hearted cat's heart. Only once did I ever have that need. I bet you even your leader had that need at one point," Shadowsnow kept going. "But everyone regrets it afterwards. Why do you think I didn't try killing him a second time? There was no need, he's already died multiple times."

Lionblaze pushed his claw forward a little bit, and Shadowsnow thought that he was about to kill him. Then the tom sheathed his claws, and turned away. Quickly getting to his paws, he looked at Lionblaze.

"Why are you letting me go?" Shadowsnow asked. Even Tigerstar and Hawkstar were surprised.

Lionblaze turned around, and he meowed, "Because you said it yourself. Everyone wants revenge, and you were right, about Stormstar." Lionblaze faded, and so did the two dead leaders. Shadowsnow was alone in the clearing, wondering what Stormstar could actually have wanted revenge for…

Gasping, Shadowsnow leaped to his paws, and felt his side. His nest was sticky with warm blood, and as he looked to his side where Lionblaze had scratched him. Three perfect slash marks were directly right there, and the bleeding had stopped by now. Outside, the snow had built up, and Shardkit was playing outside, barely noticeable. Right beside the gray kit was the dark tabby kit, Bramblekit.

Then he noticed Leafpool padding over with herbs in her jaws, and she was coming toward him. As she padded in, she started to chew the herbs into a poultice. Keeping his scratched side away from her sight, he asked, "What're you doing?"

Leafpool looked at him. "I saw what Lionblaze did to you in a dream," she meowed calmly.

"Wait," Shadowsnow whispered, "You know about Lionblaze?"

Leafpool nodded and went to the scratched side and covered the scratches. "Yes, I've known for some time. Now, get your moss to the river or the lake and let it head out into the water. Get some new moss, and come straight back before anyone notices you went missing. You have until about sun-high before anyone should notice." Leafpool quickly padded away toward the medicine den, and left Shadowsnow confused.

Doing as she said, Shadowsnow grabbed his moss and quickly dragged it out of camp. On his way out, he caught a pair of amber eyes looking regretful in his direction. _Everyone has problems, Lionblaze,_ Shadowsnow thought. _Even you…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment!_

 _Thornflower: I still need a description of your OC. I can't use it without one. (All I can take a guess for is that it's a she-cat.)_


	14. Chapter 13

Waking up, Dustflash felt his legs stiffen with exhaustion. Stifling a yawn, he padded out into the clearing where everyone had gathered under the highrock. At the top, was Stormstar with Shadowsnow. Shadowsnow seemed to look a little shy under all the eyes that landed on him, and Dustflash couldn't blame him.

Giving a quick lick to his scratch he received from a Shadowclan warrior during the battle the night before, Dustflash looked back up to Stormstar.

"We are gathered beneath the highrock to welcome another warrior to our ranks," Stormstar started. "As of today, Shadowsnow will be recognized as a Thunderclan warrior." In less than a heart-beat, every cat in the clearing was murmuring. "There are many reasons for this, but my main reason for allowing him to stay is the fact that he has something to say." Stormstar turned to the black and white tom, and meowed, "Go ahead." The clearing became silent as Shadowsnow looked down on them.

Shadowsnow gave a slight cough, and began.

"Just the other day," Shadowsnow started, and Dustflash could hear a slight trembling in his voice. "The other day, I was told to meet my father, Whisperingmeadow, at the edge of the territory after finding out about some rogues that have entered Shadowclan territory for some time. When I got to the edge of the territory, Whisperingmeadow had come by. There was another cat, and I was about to warn him…" Shadowsnow's voice failed, and he took a deep breath. _Where is this heading?_ Dustflash thought.

Shadowsnow shook his head, and he sighed. "But I was too late, and before I could help him, the cat had already killed him. I didn't have time to even shout out, and I went to help my father. Blackstar came from the bushes, and told me to come with him. When we got back to camp, he and his senior warriors said that I killed Whisperingmeadow, and were about to kill me. I ran, trying to escape, and ended up in the lake. Where you found me…"

 _There is no deception in his tone,_ Dustflash thought, analyzing Shadowsnow to the full extent. _He is also not lying, I can say that much about him. Something happened, and Blackstar blames Shadowsnow for the death of a warrior. Shadowsnow's father, nonetheless!_

Shadowsnow gave a slight cough, and took a step back. The entire clearing was completely silent, and it seemed no one knew exactly what to say.

"I would like to meet with my most trusted warriors," Stormstar spoke, and then dropped down into the clearing. Shadowsnow then jumped down, and went to the cleft in the rock where he normally slept and lie down. Looking back towards Stormstar, she had gathered Ravenpaw, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Slyheart, and was now heading toward Dustflash. "Follow me to my den, it'll be more private there."

Dustflash was silent, but he nodded his head, and followed the Thunderclan leader. _So, I'm part of her most trusted warriors… Yet I still trained with the dark forest warriors._ Then Dustflash remembered the night he had killed Tigerstar at the Moonpool. _But I'm also the one to stop Tigerstar from going farther into his plans. Maybe that's why she trusts me…_ Dustflash pushed the thoughts outside his mind.

As they padded in, Stormstar told Shardkit to go play with Bramblekit outside. _It's about time they became apprentices, isn't it?_ Dustflash thought. _I probably wouldn't mentor one of them, unless it was Bramblekit. It'd be nice to see my father in him…_

Shardkit bolted outside, leaving Stormstar, Graystripe, Ravenpaw, Sandstorm, Slyheart, and him alone in the leader's den.

Graystripe spoke first.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to allow a Shadowclan warrior to join Thunderclan?" Graystripe questioned Stormstar. "What if he's here to spy for Shadowclan? Do you know how many times we've been attacked by Shadowclan alone since we've gotten here? Too many!"

Stormstar turned to him. "I know," she growled. "But I do know he is telling the truth. No one can fake fear to that extent of believability. Plus, Blackstar already gave proof of that when he attacked last night. He told Shadowsnow to give the truth that he did something bad. It appears to not be his fault. Maybe…"

"What're you thinking, Stormstar?" Dustflash asked.

Stormstar looked towards Dustflash for a heart-beat, then to her paws, her fur covering her eye again. "Shadowsnow told me something after revealing to me the information he didn't want to share until he was forced to. He said that even if Shadowclan begged him to come back, even if he mate did, he wouldn't go. Shadowsnow wants a new life, some place where he feels safer. " Stormstar sighed. "I think he found Thunderclan for that."

"So, we just accept him into the clan?" Ravenpaw asked.

Stormstar shook her head. "Not completely, we are going to keep an eye on him, that's for sure. If he doesn't do anything suspicious, then we should be fine. But until we know his true intentions for joining Thunderclan, don't trust everything he says." Stormstar's tail flicked in annoyance. "If he is telling the truth, another cat killed Whisperingmeadow. I remember meeting him at a gathering, talking about how his son had become a warrior just shortly before the gathering. Although, come to think of it, the description of the cat he gave me was very odd…" Stormstar's voice faded a little bit as she became lost in thoughts.

Sandstorm's tail flicked. "What was the description of the cat?"

"Black and white with a tear in the left ear, opposite of Shadowsnow's, with his tear in the right ear." Stormstar's eyes glazed with memory, and she blinked. "It's a perfect description that Whisperingmeadow gave to me of his son who went missing many moons ago. Almost right after he was born, he went missing. Whisperingmeadow always wondered what happened, but never found out. That was the end of our conversation as Featherstar called the gathering to start." Stormstar started to trace something into the stone. "Come to think of it, the descriptions both gave me match perfectly. Suppose it wasn't Shadowsnow who killed Whisperingmeadow, but the kit that went missing?"

"It makes perfect sense," Dustflash meowed. "But the evidence isn't all there. If we wanted to solve this, that wouldn't add up. Someone would mention that the kit probably died. Besides, we can't investigate this, it's on Shadowclan territory. We can't trespass to prove that Shadowsnow isn't the killer."

"He's right," Slyheart jumped into the conversation. "Leave it to Shadowclan to deal with their own problems. Besides, if Shadowsnow did say he wasn't going back to Shadowclan, then there is no point. I think the only problem of having him here is that Shadowclan may attack us regularly."

Dustflash started to think about the entire murder now, and he wondered why Shadowsnow would never want to go back. _He was born in Shadowclan, and raised to be a Shadowclan cat. Is it because he feels untrusted to his birth clan? Or maybe something deeper?_

"Likewise, I would like to finish with a little mission," Stormstar meowed. "I want someone to head deep into Shadowclan territory and perform a little spying mission." Stormstar's gaze rested on Dustflash. "Hollyleaf is the best chance we have to do this."

"No!" Dustflash gasped. "What about Shadowpelt? This may be a win for Shadowclan, if this is all an elaborate setup!" Each other cat stared at him with an intense gaze.

"I understand, Dustflash," Stormstar meowed. "But you must understand the circumstances. Besides, I'm giving Hollyleaf a choice. She can decline, and then we will have to find another way to get information. But if she accepts, she accepts and goes into Shadowclan territory as our spy. The mission will be dangerous," Stormstar added darkly. "There will be no guarantee that she will come back alive, and if Shadowclan mounts an attack on Thunderclan, she will have to fight. Dustflash," Stormstar muttered, "I'm giving you the choice to tell Hollyleaf or not. I want an answer by tomorrow at dusk." Flicking her tail, she meowed, "Dismissed."

 _If Hollyleaf were to go to Shadowclan territory, Shadowclan will have all advantage…_ Dustflash's heart raced against his chest. "Alright," he muttered, and padded out of the den. _I don't want to put Hollyleaf in any danger…_

As soon as he got out, he searched for the black she-cat, and found her by the fresh-kill pile. Climbing down the steps, Dustflash padded over to Hollyleaf. "I need to tell you something, mind if we go somewhere more private?" Hollyleaf smiled and stood up.

"Yeah, I'll come with you," Hollyleaf meowed. Dustflash could feel her eyes landing on him, and he felt anxiety rise in his chest. _What does she think of me?_ Dustflash thought, and they entered the forest outside the camp. The smell of dead leaves and crisp snow opened Dustflash's nose a little more, breathing in more air.

Dustflash led the way to the edge of the lake, where they both sat next to each other.

"Don't you just love watching the sunset?" Hollyleaf meowed, her green eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Dustflash nodded, his stomach twisting and turning. "Do you…" Hollyleaf sounded a little shy now, and Dustflash knew exactly where this was heading. "Do you love me?" Hollyleaf asked, and Dustflash felt as if he was put exactly on the spot.

"Yes," he meowed, and he turned to Hollyleaf, who leaned in and kissed him. Dustflash felt everything stop around him, and felt the warmth of Hollyleaf's lips against his. In a heart-beat, thoughts of everything Stormstar had told him to do had washed away, and he was mesmerized by the beautiful, black she-cat.

After what felt like moons, he broke off, and he put his head on hers, as Hollyleaf was a little smaller than him. Purring, Dustflash watched the sun begin to set, and remembered what he had to tell Hollyleaf. Looking at her, he meowed, "I need to tell you something. Stormstar wants you to go on a mission. Something that you may not come back from."

Hollyleaf stopped purring, and an emotion Dustflash couldn't place exited her eye. "What is it?" Hollyleaf asked.

"You see," Dustflash started, "Shadowsnow wasn't the cause of death of his father. Stormstar wants someone to go and join Shadowclan as a spy. She said that you were the best option, probably because you have some sort of relationship with your father." Looking into her eyes, he meowed, "But I don't want you to go. I think it could be too dangerous. Stormstar wants you to make that decision though."

Hollyleaf smiled at him, and meowed calmly, "I wouldn't leave Thunderclan for anything now. Tell Stormstar that I decline this mission." Dustflash smiled and began to purr again. A cold wind started to blow, chilling him, but he stayed beside Hollyleaf. _I could live a great life here, and I would stand by her side, no matter what…_

"Dustflash," Hollyleaf meowed, "You'd be honest with me about anything, right?"

Dustflash turned to Hollyleaf, confused. "Yeah, you want to ask me something?"

Hollyleaf nodded. "When I fought against Shadowpelt, he said he knew every move I was using. It surprised him, and he said that we shared something in common. Training in the dark forest." _No!_ Dustflash felt his heart quicken again. _I know what she is going to ask!_ "The moves you taught me, you received them from the dark forest, didn't you?"

Unable to answer instantly, Dustflash sighed, and looked to his paws. "I did, a long time ago, when I was an apprentice," he began. "I was told I was doing the clans a favor when Tigerstar first entered my dreams. I thought I was doing so well, to be taught by him. But… my perspective changed the night I became a warrior."

"Why's that?" Hollyleaf asked, her green eyes full of curiosity.

"Because that was the night I killed him," Dustflash coughed. The memory was still painful, but he kept going. For the sake of keeping himself a little sane. "I killed Bramblestar that night. When I heard that Stormstar and a few others were going to kill him, I had to figure out why. Apparently, Bramblestar was cursed. Two of his lives came from two dark forest cats. Tigerstar and Brokenstar. I… I tried to save him, and then he turned completely. Throwing away Stormstar and Leafpool towards the Moonpools edge and Ravenpaw and Graystripe were close to a couple of rocks. I was too late, and I ended up killing him. It was never Stormstar who gave me my warrior name, and a few heart-beats after killing Bramblestar, who was controlled by Tigerstar, my father came to us. As his final parting gift, he made me a warrior."

Hollyleaf licked Dustflash's ear, and he almost flinched as he remembered being touched by the cats he thought were unconscious that night. "It's alright," Hollyleaf meowed. "If you ever need someone to talk to, remember, I'm here."

Chuckling, trying to lighten the mood, Dustflash nodded. "Thank you."

Dustflash woke up the next morning on the forest's edge, curled around Hollyleaf. A large bush surrounded them, one of the only ones to survive leaf-bare. Hollyleaf's warmth flowed into him, and he was glad to relish in her scent. _I have myself a mate that I can be happy with for the rest of my life…_ Dustflash thought.

Standing up, he felt a tail touch his shoulder, and he heard a voice whisper in his ear.

"Be careful where your paws tread," Bramblestar's voice echoed. "You may have to sacrifice yourself to save her one day."

"What do you mean?" Dustflash whispered, trying to be careful not to wake up Hollyleaf.

Bramblestar's tail hit the ground, leaving Dustflash's shoulder. "Hollyleaf is part of something bigger for the future. Something that she will have to take part in, no matter the cost of anyone else. A prophecy bigger than the clans had imagined."

Nodding, Dustflash put his tail around Hollyleaf, who curled even further at his touch. _I promise I'll protect her, no matter the cost,_ Dustflash vowed. The scent of Bramblestar faded, and light began to pierce the makeshift den. _We should get going soon, or Stormstar will wonder what we did last night…_

Putting out his forepaw, Dustflash was about to poke Hollyleaf awake, then placed his paw back down. _Nah, let her sleep. She's going to need it…_

Putting his forepaw over her, Dustflash wanted to keep Hollyleaf warm. _I'm glad she declined the mission, I wouldn't want to see her hurt. Ever… I will always protect you, Hollyleaf…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Yeah, I feel the chapter was a little rushed, but I was working on it for multiple hours when my dad decided he was going to take me somewhere. So I felt as if the ending was rushed, and I would love to make the chapter longer, but not today. I'll try to make it up during the next chapter!_

 _So now we have DustxHolly. Glad to have them together finally! I've been waiting so long!_

 _Don't forget to review/comment!_

 _Thornflower: I still need that description._


	15. Chapter 14

The warmth of Dustflash's tail woke up Hollyleaf. She remembered that she was in the makeshift den they had created to spend the night in by the edge of the lake. A slight, cool breeze entered the den, and Hollyleaf curled up even more to stay warm. Letting out a slight purr, she could feel Dustflash's foreleg in front of her, brushing against her pelt.

"No need to get defensive," Hollyleaf purred sleepily at Dustflash, who looked down at her. Hollyleaf stretched her foreleg, except for the one with the deep scratch on it. _Still hurts, Leafpool said it would hurt for some time…_ Hollyleaf sat straight up, and the cool breeze hit her again. Shivering, she leaned toward Dustflash, who did the same with her.

"I'm glad you declined," Dustflash murmured in her ear. "Even I wouldn't do it."

Hollyleaf let out a little giggle. "How's the brave warrior now?" She teased Dustflash, nudging him.

"I'm still brave," Dustflash meowed, then, in a higher pitch voice, meowed, "Shadowcwan just scares me!"

"Stop acting like a kit," Hollyleaf chuckled, and Dustflash grinned. "We should head back," Hollyleaf meowed, looking at the rays of light entering the den. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You probably needed sleep, and plus, you purr a little bit when you sleep," Dustflash answered. Dustflash gave quick lick to Hollyleaf's ear. "Let's head back then," he meowed, and jumped out of the makeshift den. Hollyleaf quickly followed him, and the cool breeze that had entered their den was a little stronger. "Race you to the hollow!" Dustflash shouted, and he was already bolting into the forest. Rolling her eyes, Hollyleaf went into an instant sprint.

Catching up was easy, getting past Dustflash was not. Although the pain in her foreleg had numbed, it still gave a sharp pain every once in awhile. Stopping, she shouted to Dustflash, "Are you forgetting my leg?" Dustflash turned around, then looked a little embarrassed.

"Sorry!" He meowed, padding back to Hollyleaf.

Flicking the gray and brown tom with her tail, Hollyleaf muttered, "Furball." Smiling, she entwined her tail with his, and Hollyleaf limped back to camp, the pain in her leg returning. _This injury is going to get really annoying,_ Hollyleaf thought. An image filled her mind, and she thought she could hear shouting, then Dustflash paused.

"Did you hear something?" Dustflash asked, looking to the left.

Hollyleaf followed his eyes, and looked towards the Shadowclan border. "Yeah, I did," she replied. "Let's find out what it is, whoever it is, sounds familiar."

Padding forward, all thoughts of her leg forgotten, Hollyleaf heard the shout and followed it. Whoever had shouted sounded in danger. _I know I've heard the voice somewhere,_ Hollyleaf thought. _But where?_ "Help!" This time, the voice was more clear, and Hollyleaf recognized it.

"That's Fallingrain!" She hissed to Dustflash.

"How do you know?" Dustflash asked, crouched beside her.

"I met her at a gathering once, I remember her voice," Hollyleaf meowed. Then, a little more quietly, whispered, "It's also Shadowsnow's mate." Padding forward, Dustflash used his tail to stop Hollyleaf.

"What if it's a trap?" He asked, his eyes full of concern.

"What queen leaves their birth clan and strays so close to the border?" Hollyleaf retorted. "I'm pretty sure Blackstar wouldn't use a queen as bait for an attack. It'd be borderline psychotic." Ignoring Dustflash, Hollyleaf bolted forward. On the other side of a set of dead bushes was the white and gray tabby she-cat, her green eyes full of fear. Beside Fallingrain were two kits. A black kit and a white kit, probably not even a moon old, lie beside her. "What're you doing over on this side of the border?" Hollyleaf questioned.

Fallingrain looked at her with pleading, green eyes. "If you help us, I'll tell you everything," Fallingrain meowed. She was shivering, and Hollyleaf sighed.

"Dustflash, pick up the black kit, I'll pick up the other one," Hollyleaf meowed. "Follow us to the Thunderclan camp. Stormstar will know what to do with you." Picking the small kit up in her mouth, Hollyleaf realized how cold the kit was. _Are you stupid?_ Hollyleaf thought towards Fallingrain. _It's leaf-bare! These kits may not survive!_ But Hollyleaf didn't say anything aloud, and they quickly went into the Thunderclan camp.

Upon entering the barrier to the hollow, Hollyleaf heard Stormstar growl, "What is the meaning of this?" Looking up, Hollyleaf realized Stormstar was looking at her and Dustflash. Fallingrain was behind them. Stormstar's gaze landed on Fallingrain, and Shadowsnow's voice filled the clearing.

"Fallingrain!"

The she-cat looked over to Shadowsnow, and her eyes were dull with fatigue.

"Hollyleaf, Dustflash, bring the she-cat to my den at once," Stormstar ordered. "Shadowsnow, get the kits and warm them up." Shadowsnow nodded and padded over to the three cats. Hollyleaf and Dustflash put the kits down, and Shadowsnow expertly picked them both up and went to the cleft in the rock. _I think we're in trouble now,_ Hollyleaf thought. _Middle of leaf-bare, and two cats have already joined us from Shadowclan. Plus the two kits. We also have Maplepaw now. Too many cats…_ Hollyleaf shook her head and followed Dustflash up the steps towards Stormstar's den. "Go down to the hollow, Shardkit," Stormstar meowed, and the gray kit obeyed. Shardkit went to the center of the clearing, passing the three cats on the way, and completely ignored Fallingrain.

As they padded into the den, Stormstar shouted, "What made you think it was a good idea to bring another cat into the clan?"

Neither Hollyleaf or Dustflash answered, both feeling hot under Stormstar's blue gaze.

Sighing, Stormstar continued, "We have enough problems on our own without another mouth to feed. Both of you consider yourselves lucky that leaf-bare will soon be over." Turning to Fallingrain, she meowed, "You are Shadowsnow's mate correct?" Fallingrain nodded. "So, is that what made you decide to come to Thunderclan, or was it something else?"

 _Something else?_ Hollyleaf thought. _Does Stormstar know something we don't?_

"Yes, and no," Fallingrain answered. "I have realized just how destroyed and broken Shadowclan really is. It is no more than a shell of what it used to be…" Fallingrain's voice died out, and Hollyleaf couldn't help but feel bad for the she-cat. "Shadowsnow was right, he didn't kill his father…" This time, Fallingrain's voice purely stopped.

"What do you mean, he didn't kill his father?" Stormstar asked, curiosity in her blue eyes.

Fallingrain seemed to be unable to answer for multiple heart-beats. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded strained. "When I went to take care of my kits, I saw Blackstar go into his den. He seemed… different. So I went to the outside of his den, and eavesdropped on the conversation." Fallingrain shuddered. "I smelled another scent inside, almost like Shadowsnow's, yet different. Two cats started to speak about how the plan was almost at it's end. That they would start doing something very soon. I came here to warn you, even though I don't know what I'm warning you about. I had to leave, I couldn't stay…" Fallingrain coughed, and Stormstar dismissed her.

"Go be with Shadowsnow," Stormstar meowed. "You are going to need to keep your kits warm and safe for now." Stormstar then turned to Hollyleaf and Dustflash, her eyes burning. "You two, stay here." Fallingrain nodded, and padded out of the den, and then it was just Stormstar, Hollyleaf, and Dustflash. "What is your answer?" Stormstar asked. "I will assume Dustflash asked about it when you went on your outing last night?"

Hollyleaf nodded, and meowed, "I declined." Stormstar looked at Hollyleaf, surprise behind her eyes.

"Why is that?" Stormstar asked, and she finally sat down. Her fur shifted away from her eye, but not by much. Only just enough for Hollyleaf to notice the scar next to her eye.

"Because I don't want to have to speak to my father," Hollyleaf meowed calmly. "I also don't want to spy on Shadowclan because I feel there is no need. If someone wants information, the gathering is here in a couple of nights. Some apprentices might give something away." Hollyleaf waited for an answer, and her her started thumping against her chest.

Stormstar only smiled. "It's a good plan, but no mouse. You see, if Blackstar were to reveal anything to the clan, the apprentices would soon know. From there, any secrets he had would be revealed to one clan, then it'd spread like wildfire. No point in getting information from the apprentices, they won't have anything." Then her smile faded. "Any other plans to get information without sending in someone to spy?"

Hollyleaf shook her head as Dustflash sneezed. "I've got nothing," Dustflash muttered.

Stormstar sighed. "Obviously, whatever Blackstar is up to, it involves Thunderclan, and we can't get information without a spy. Not unless we wait. We're going to have to increase border patrols." Turning to Dustflash, Stormstar ordered, "Tell Slyheart to increase the border patrols on Shadowclan's side, but to not send Shadowsnow on any of those patrols. Hollyleaf," Stormstar continued, "I want you to lead another border patrol that way."

Nodding, Hollyleaf left the den, and went to find a few warriors to join her border patrol. Spotting Brightheart and Cloudtail, she thought, _They should be good._ Padding toward them, she asked, "You want to come on a border patrol to Shadowclan with me?" Brightheart nodded and Cloudtail's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'll see you at the entrance then," Hollyleaf meowed and saw Sandstorm. "Sandstorm!" She called to the ginger she-cat. "Want to join a border patrol?"

Sandstorm padded up to Hollyleaf, and replied, "Sure."

They padded toward the entrance and met up with Brightheart and Cloudtail. Leaving the camp, Hollyleaf meowed, "Let's start with the lake and head away from it." Sandstorm and the others followed her through the forest and towards the lake edge of the border. As they got to the end, Hollyleaf smelled Shadowclan scent, fresh scent. "Careful," Hollyleaf heard Cloudtail's growl.

Refreshing the scent marker, Hollyleaf padded farther up the trail laid down by cats paws. She noticed the scent of Shadowclan cats getting closer. "Probably another border patrol, but stay vigilant. We don't know what Shadowclan truly wants," Hollyleaf whispered to the patrol. Each cat nodded, and they kept moving forward.

In a few heart-beats, the Shadowclan patrol was easily spotted. The Shadowclan patrol was made up of Rowanclaw, Creekpaw, Mistflight, and Shadowpelt. Hollyleaf heard Creekpaw meow, "We could take them." One of the others, Mistflight, nodded in agreement. But Rowanclaw hissed at them. "Shut up," he whispered and turned to the Thunderclan patrol. "We've been searching for Fallingrain, have you seen her?" Rowanclaw asked, suspicion in his gaze.

Before Hollyleaf could answer, Sandstorm did. "No, we haven't, why do you ask?"

Rowanclaw took a quick glance behind him, then turned back to the patrol. "Fallingrain has been missing for a little bit now, and we tracked her scent to Thunderclan territory. Although, we never bothered crossing the border. I was just wondering if you knew."

Sandstorm shook her head. "Sorry to say, we haven't seen her. If we find her, we'll send her back your way." Hollyleaf went to look away from the Shadowclan patrol, but caught Shadowpelt's gaze. His right eye was covered in a leaf wrap, and a trickling juice had dried on his whiskers. _Probably got his eye cut during the battle. He may actually be blind in that eye now, but should I feel bad for him? No, he deserved it for the trouble he's caused Thunderclan,_ Hollyleaf's thoughts whirled in her head.

As they padded away, Sandstorm padded up to Hollyleaf. "You noticed Shadowpelt, right?" She whispered.

"Yeah," Hollyleaf answered. "Probably was scratched badly during the battle. I wouldn't be surprised, especially after what he did to my leg." Hollyleaf flicked her leg out to show the long scar down the side. The fur was still parted, and probably wouldn't grow back for awhile. Sandstorm almost gasped.

"I didn't know he did that to you!" Sandstorm meowed.

 _Yeah, I didn't either,_ Hollyleaf almost growled, but thought better of it. _I know it was Hawkstar, that other leader of Riverclan from some time ago. The dark tabby pelt could've been almost anyone. It was the blue eyes that gave it away._ Hollyleaf still remembered her leg being bit into, and the instantaneous pain that followed with it. Then she realized that her leg started to hurt again, and she was limping. "Are you alright?" Cloudtail asked from behind them.

"Yeah," Hollyleaf answered. "It's just bothering me again."

"You should head back to camp," Brightheart meowed. "If we get attacked, that leg isn't going to help you. No offence, but you might hinder the fight instead. It'd be best for you to head back." Although Hollyleaf didn't like to leave them behind, she conceded.

"Fine," she replied. "When you get back, report to Stormstar or Slyheart of any new findings."

"What're you going to say about the patrol we just met?" Sandstorm asked.

"Nothing," Hollyleaf replied. "You can decide to tell them or not."

Hollyleaf padded into camp alone, and noticed Stormstar at the top of the highledge. A bright ray of light had come down towards her and the center of the clearing, and Stormstar looked at Hollyleaf with pleasure. "Now that everyone I need is here, I am ready to do a duty I have been waiting six moons to do."

 _Bramblekit and Shardkit?_ Hollyleaf thought.

The two kits she just thought of padded up to Stormstar, looking more excited than ever, yet still keeping their composure. "Shardkit, Bramblekit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Bramblekit's gaze didn't waver as he meowed, "I do."

"I do," Shardkit meowed, and his voice didn't falter or shift in tone. He sounded older.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, from this moment on, until you become warriors, you will be known as Shardpaw and Bramblepaw. Bramblepaw, your mentor is Leafpool. Leafpool," Stormstar meowed, looking over to the she-cat, "Pass on your medicine cat skills to this apprentice. Shardpaw, your new mentor is Hollyleaf." The clearing broke into whispers of surprise at Stormstar's choice of mentor, and Hollyleaf felt singled out. She padded forward, while at the same time, walking side by side with her mother's sister, and went to her new apprentice. Touching her nose to his, Hollyleaf felt the bond between mentor and apprentice start to form.

The main reason Hollyleaf was still surprised was because Bramblepaw chose to be a medicine cat. _He seems to be more of a fighter to me, but it's his choice,_ Hollyleaf thought. Shardpaw looked up at her, with his big, green eyes. "Will you take me on a journey through the territory?" He asked.

Hollyleaf felt bad, and looked to Stormstar for a moment, who nodded. But Hollyleaf motioned to her injured leg, and Stormstar smiled, and rolled her eyes. "Get one of your brother's to help you," Stormstar finally meowed before going into her den.

"Let's get Lionblaze," Hollyleaf meowed. "Actually, can you go get him for me real quick? I have to check with Leafpool on something." Shardpaw raced off to find Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf went to follow Leafpool. "Hey, Leafpool, I need to ask something," Hollyleaf meowed, and the she-cat turned around. "Do you have anything to numb the pain in my leg?" Hollyleaf asked.

"I should have a poppy seed to keep your mind off it," Leafpool meowed, and went to her den and padded back out with a small black seed on her paw. "Try this, it should numb the pain only a little bit. But enough to get you through showing your new apprentice the territory." Thanking Leafpool, Hollyleaf licked up the poppy seed and swallowed it. Heading away, she found Shardpaw with Lionblaze.

"First day as a new mentor and you have to delay showing your apprentice the territory," Lionblaze joked.

"It's not my fault," Hollyleaf defended herself. "My leg hurts!"

"Because you didn't defend yourself well enough during the battle," Lionblaze chuckled. "So, whose fault was that?"

"I'll tell you later," Hollyleaf growled playfully. "Let's show Shardpaw the territory before Stormstar yells at us." Hollyleaf padded out of the tunnel, and felt glad. Glad that she was trustworthy enough to have an apprentice…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Little bit of writer's block here about halfway through the chapter. Anyway, glad to finally have that done! I should feel better doing the next chapter!_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! Appreciated!_


	16. Chapter 15

"Are you all ready?" Stormstar's voice called from highledge. Dustflash sat near the entrance, ready for the gathering. In the distance, the moon was already starting to rise, and a few stars were visible. _We're probably going to be late,_ Dustflash thought. The clan had to delay because Leafpool had to care for Hollyleaf's leg, which the wound had reopened during a training session with Shardpaw and Bramblepaw that day.

Hollyleaf padded up to Dustflash, giving a smile, and Dustflash noticed the herb leaves and juices trickling down her leg. "Are you sure you're alright?" Dustflash asked, licking the black she-cat's ear. Hollyleaf nodded.

"I'm fine," Hollyleaf meowed, letting out an unsteady purr. "I just need to sleep," she yawned, and then padded away towards the warriors den. Dustflash watched her black pelt blend in with the darkness that had consumed the warriors den. Noticing the warriors start to leave, Dustflash padded behind Cedarheart and Flamespirit.

As they exited the camp, Dustflash felt a tail touch his shoulder. Every time a cat did that, it reminded him of the night at the Moonpool. And every time, he flinched at the touch. Turning to the cat who touched him, Dustflash saw Silverpelt's bright blue eyes.

"Hi, mother," Dustflash greeted Silverpelt.

"What do you think Shadowclan is going to say tonight?" Silverpelt asked.

Dustflash sighed and looked back ahead. "I don't know," Dustflash answered. "They may say something about Shadowsnow, or declare that the war is not yet over. I have a feeling that whatever happens tonight, will shape the clans forever." Silverpelt nodded, and that confirmed Dustflash's feeling of uneasiness. His stomach felt knotted, and the wind seemed colder. _Something is going to happen,_ Dustflash thought. _I can feel it…_

Cedarheart and Flamespirit padded back to join Silverpelt and Dustflash. "So, I wasn't the only one who feels that something bad is going to happen?" Flamespirit asked. Dustflash shook his head.

"Let's stay careful tonight," Cedarheart growled. "If Shadowclan tries something like what they did a few moons ago, then we could be attacked again. Since the battle, less warriors are coming here." Dustflash noticed a scar on Cedarheart's face now, and another scar down Flamespirit's side. "Even with less warriors, we still have less of a fighting chance," Cedarheart continued. "Most of us are still injured. With that attack, we have been left a little vulnerable."

"Should've seen what I did to Shadowpelt," Flamespirit growled. "He may have left the injury to my side, by I don't think he'll be seeing out of his right eye. Ever." Flamespirit's smile let Dustflash know what happened. Hollyleaf had told him about Shadowpelt's right eye, and then proceeded by saying 'it served him right.'

Although Dustflash knew very little about Shadowpelt, he did know that Shadowpelt was Hollyleaf's father, and tried to take Hollyleaf and her brothers when they were kits. Obviously, it failed, and the grudges against Shadowpelt in Thunderclan were still high. _I guess the grudges against Shadowclan doesn't stop there,_ Dustflash thought, remembering what happened to Silverpelt during one of the attacks on Thunderclan. _I still can't forgive them for that, it's wrong to hurt someone practically defenseless, let alone a pregnant queen…_

Together, the four cats padded into the clearing where the gatherings were normally held. All the other clans were there. _We're late,_ Dustflash thought as he looked to the sky. The full moon was almost at it's highest point, and Dustflash stuck to the edge of the clearing. He was still close enough to hear anything that would happen.

The gathering came to a start, and Windclan's leader, Foxstar gave her report. It was nothing new, just how the prey was running well. Although, at one point, Foxstar gave Featherstar, Riverclan's leader, a sour look. During that, she meowed, "Windclan is also strong enough to defend it's borders." Featherstar grunted, letting out a smile, but other than that, Foxstar had nothing else.

Dustflash began to feel uneasiness within the clan cats around him. Looking around as Stormstar started her speech, he noticed Shadowpelt at the other side of the clearing. _Hollyleaf is right,_ Dustflash thought as he looked at the black tom. He didn't have the leaf wrap over his eye anymore, but his right eye was pale blue. _Shadowpelt is blind in one eye now…_

Stormstar gave her report, and also stated that Jayfeather and Lionblaze had become warriors, and that Hollyleaf couldn't come that night due to complications. Shadowpelt's eared perked up, and his whiskers twitched. _Stay away from her,_ Dustflash thought. _How did you ever get a mate in the first place?_ Dustflash wondered, and Blackstar was next to speak.

"Cats of all clans," he started, and Dustflash looked at the large white cat. _What's he planning now?_ Dustflash unsheathed and sheathed his claws, irritated that Blackstar was already trying something else. "There is a murderer loose in our clans, and Thunderclan is harboring this fugitive. Shadowsnow murdered his father in cold blood, and we want him dead. Thunderclan, I would like for you to either kill or give Shadowsnow back to us, along with Fallingrain and her kits."

Stormstar looked calm, and Dustflash knew that couldn't be good. These days, if Stormstar was calm in a dangerous situation, then it really meant she was pissed. What happened earlier with Hollyleaf and him was being let off easy. _Blackstar is going to regret messing with Thunderclan so many times,_ Dustflash thought.

"Blackstar," Stormstar meowed, and Dustflash heard the strain of Stormstar keeping herself calm. "My question is, what makes you think that Shadowsnow killed Whisperingmeadow? The prove is you saw him and a dead cat, but there was nothing else. In fact, two cats can vouch that you never even gave him a chance to prove himself." Stormstar's gaze shifted over to the Shadowclan cats. "I bet, that if you asked a few of your warriors, they would say the same thing." In a heart-beat, the Shadowclan cats muttered and shifted uncomfortably. _Stormstar's not giving Blackstar a choice. If anything, she has the white tom cornered…_ Dustflash turned his head towards the leaders.

"In fact, don't you think it'd be weird if Shadowsnow's brother, Sunkit, was still alive?" Stormstar questioned. Blackstar's gaze changed, and he started to chuckle. But Dustflash could tell that whatever Blackstar said next, was likely to be a lie.

"Impossible," Blackstar replied. "Sunkit went missing only shortly after he was born. He wouldn't have had a mother's milk to keep him alive, it'd be impossible." Stormstar only shook her head, but jumped down to a lower part of the tree to let Blackstar continue. "That you, Stormstar," Blackstar growled. "Now, I have another important announcement to make. Actually, Featherstar, would you like to make the announcement?"

Featherstar nodded, and Dustflash had a bad feeling rise within his chest. "I would like to announce something before we start this. Soulraven is the deputy of Riverclan," Featherstar meowed. "After a small battle, our last deputy, Jawstripe, died of his wounds after infection settled in." Featherstar then took a deep breath, and continued. "Riverclan has decided to join Shadowclan, and reform the alliance we had moons ago, during the Great Battle."

Many of the Windclan cats gasped, and Thunderclan cats were growling now, each ready for the unexpected. But no one was prepared for this. Dustflash was on his paws in an instant, looking at Featherstar with anger, suspicion, and curiosity as to why they would do this. _My father was alive during that time, he knows more about this than I do._ Then another thought entered Dustflash's mind. _Is Tigerstar behind all this?_

"We would like for Thunderclan and Windclan to join us," Featherstar continued. "If not, we will declare war." _Yeah, and that's going to stop Shadowclan from trying to kill us,_ Dustflash thought. _They already declared war on Thunderclan._ "You have until the half-moon, when the medicine cats meet, to give your answer."

Stormstar and Foxstar glanced at each other on the lower branches. Their expressions matched probably every Windclan and Thunderclan cat in the clearing. "This gathering is over," Blackstar finished, and jumped out of the tree.

In only a few heart-beats, the only clans in the clearing were Thunderclan and Windclan.

Stormstar looked at Foxstar, who looked a little bewildered, and they spoke quickly. Dustflash wasn't close enough to hear, and he padded up to Stormstar. The brown she-cat looked to him, worry clouding her gaze. "What is it, Dustflash?" She meowed, but her tone let Dustflash know that she knew what he was here for.

"I think you know well why I came up to you," Dustflash meowed. "You aren't going to accept the terms, are you?"

Stormstar shook her head. "No," she replied. "Foxstar and I have agreed to set aside all differences. Foxstar remembers the battle that day, and being captured. She doesn't want this to happen again, and would rather avoid it altogether." Turning to Foxstar, she meowed, "So, we have a deal? Decline Blackstar and Featherstar?" Foxstar nodded, and stayed silent. Her eyes averted away, and Dustflash followed them and noticed that she was looking at Flamespirit. Flamespirit seemed to be talking to Cedarheart.

"We need to warn the clan," Dustflash meowed. "There were a few cats who couldn't come today, and they need to be told immediately." Stormstar nodded, and then started to pad towards the edge of the clearing, but before she could call everyone home, Foxstar went to Flamespirit.

"Did I ever tell you the names of our kits?" She asked the ginger tom, who stared at her, a little bewildered that she would talk to him. Silently, Flamespirit shook his head. "Their names are Sandpaw, Mintpaw, and Jasminepaw." Flamespirit only nodded, and Foxstar sighed, padding away. "I miss you so much," Dustflash heard Foxstar whisper to herself.

Flamespirit looked bewildered still, and slowly, his expression changed to that of sadness. Mouthing only a few words, Dustflash didn't hear him. But Cedarheart did, and he put his tail on his brother and whispered something in his ear. Flamespirit only nodded, and they both padded away behind Stormstar.

Dustflash then heard Stormstar call the clan to leave, and Foxstar did the same thing. Each clan padded their separate ways, but Dustflash knew this wasn't the last time the two clans would be by themselves. Because they were by themselves right now, against two clans. Shadowclan, the most fierce, and Riverclan, the normally peace loving clan has just said they would declare war if the demands were not met.

 _I have a feeling this is going to end badly,_ Dustflash thought as he noticed Silverpelt pad up beside him to travel back. "How's Bramblepaw's training coming?" Dustflash asked. He wanted to avoid any talk of Riverclan and Shadowclan.

"He's as strong as his father, if not stronger," Silverpelt sighed. "Bramblepaw… Reminds me of when I first met your father, when he was on the verge of death. Broken leg and a few scratches, I was surprised he hadn't died." Silverpelt's eyes clouded with memory. "When I saw him afterwards, after I cleaned the blood off his pelt, he looked so handsome in the moonlight that pierced the den. Then, after awhile of resting, we lay on a stump, and that was the night the storm broke out, when Tigerstar found his son. They battled it out, and Bramblestar had become Brambleclaw that night. A warrior at heart. After that, I was in with him, wherever he went, I went. Whatever he wanted, I wanted him to have. He gave so much to me, and I feel I barely gave anything back…" Silverpelt's words died then, and Dustflash smiled.

"You did give something back to him," Dustflash meowed. "You gave birth to three kits. Bramblepaw, Roseleaf, and me. There is nothing more that father could have ever wanted, I promise you that."

Silverpelt looked at him, and appreciation shown through her blue eyes. "I like the talks we have," she purred, and Dustflash wanted to smile wider. But couldn't.

As they got back into camp, Dustflash went straight to the warriors den to find Hollyleaf. Inside, the black she-cat already had her eyes open and looking at the entrance to the den. "What's going on?" Hollyleaf asked.

"Blackstar and Featherstar have declared an alliance," Dustflash explained while he heard Stormstar call the gathering. Hollyleaf's ears twitched as Dustflash continued. "They want Thunderclan and Windclan to join them to form one clan apparently, but Stormstar hasn't agreed to the terms, at least, only Thunderclan and Windclan know that. Windclan has agreed to decline the terms against the alliance." Dustflash noticed that Hollyleaf didn't seem surprised at all with the news. "Did you know of this before?" Dustflash asked the black she-cat, afraid of the answer.

"Of course not," Hollyleaf retorted, and then sighed. "I knew about it when they announced it at the gathering."

Surprised, Dustflash meowed, "You were at the gathering?"

Hollyleaf then looked to Dustflash real quickly, and then looked around the warriors den. _It's just the two of us, what is she expecting?_ Hollyleaf sighed, then took a deep breath.

"There is something I haven't told you," Hollyleaf meowed, and struggled to sit up, keeping her weight off of her injured leg. "Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and I have a destiny that we don't think anyone else knows about." Dustflash's memory went to the time he sat next to Hollyleaf, who was sleeping. When Bramblestar's voice told him that he may need to protect her, even at his own expense. _This must be what Bramblestar was talking about,_ Dustflash realized, and nodded to let Hollyleaf continue. "There is a prophecy about three cats who hold the power of the stars in their paws," Hollyleaf whispered. "Each of the three cats have a special power. Jayfeather can read minds, and that's about as far as he told us. I sometimes think he can walk in dreams, because I have seen him in a few of mine. I am able to hear and see farther, sometimes feel what's happening someplace else-"

"That's how you knew about the gathering," Dustflash interrupted, and Hollyleaf nodded.

"Jayfeather and I are pretty sure Lionblaze can't get hurt in battle, at least, I think he knows," Hollyleaf blinked. "Lionblaze has never come out of a battle with a single scar or injury."

After that, it was silent, and it seemed that Hollyleaf was giving Dustflash some time to let the information sink in. _My mate, my apprentice, is part of something that big? Who would have thought…_ Dustflash nodded and padded up to Hollyleaf, who began to lie back down. He lie down next to her, and his mind raced with the thoughts of what he was just told.

 _It should have been a little obvious when Bramblestar told me that morning,_ Dustflash thought, and closed his eyes…

Dustflash opened his eyes to the sounds of screams. Many cats were screaming around him, and as he stood up, Dustflash began to notice he was in the middle of a field. Surrounding him were transparent cats, looking as if they were fighting, and when he turned around, he was faced with a pair of amber eyes.

"Look around, Dustflash," Bramblestar meowed. "A final battle between the clans will take place. At this point, it is inevitable. You will be faced with a challenge…" As Bramblestar faded, the cats around Dustflash began to change.

To his right, a small, dark tabby was pinned under a larger cat. To his left, was Roseleaf, surrounded by multiple cats and injured. Directly in front of him was Silverpelt, bleeding from her side, and barely standing. Turning around, he noticed Hollyleaf's black pelt faced with Shadowpelt's own. Behind Shadowpelt were a few other cats that looked as if they belonged to Shadowclan.

"It's your choice in the future," Bramblestar meowed again. "In the end, the choice will be yours. I will be with you during the battle, and the decision must be made. Two cats can be saved. You save one, I'll save the other. I will not interfere anywhere else." Bramblestar turned to the cats that surrounded them. "Who will you save? Your mate, who is part of something bigger than you or her? Your mother, the one you enjoy talking to whenever you feel down? Your sister, who you spent your entire life with, through thick and thin? Or your little brother, the one who brings the clan together when they look at him? See me through him?"

Dustflash felt his heart racing against his chest. _I have to make this decision?_ He looked at each cat, and his mind started to process the thoughts too fast. Dustflash felt shattered and torn as he looked at the four cats he loved. _I can't protect them all, and neither can Bramblestar…_

Before Dustflash was able to make a decision, the world faded around him, and everything disappeared…

Waking up, Dustflash felt Hollyleaf's warm pelt against his, and he resisted the urge to gasp and wake her up. It was still dark outside, which meant he hadn't been asleep long, but long enough for the warriors to have all come back to their nests. Feeling a tail, he noticed Hollyleaf was looking up at him sleepily.

"It's alright," she meowed soothingly. "Just got back to sleep. It'll be a long time before you get a better rest." Hollyleaf's voice was soft, and she let out a yawn. Dustflash followed her advice, and lie back down, relishing in her scent.

 _Why do I have to make this decision?_ Dustflash asked himself, wondering if he could lose anyone he loved, and still continue living. _I could try to pick, but in the heat of battle, do I have a choice?_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! Appreciated!_

 _Now that I don't have writer's block affecting me as badly, like during the last chapter I wrote, I should be fine for another few days. Although, the times my story chapters will be updated will change to probably be every two days, instead of every day and that occasional skip a day because I don't have time!_


	17. Chapter 16

The news came as a harsh blow to Shadowsnow. At the top of the clearing was Stormstar, explaining the events of the gathering to those who didn't go that night. When the news of Blackstar came up, Shadowsnow at first was intrigued, then horrified at what Blackstar and Featherstar were starting to plan. _My parents understood that war, they survived it, and this is how it all goes again? The clans are going in circles!_ Shadowsnow thought. _If the clans go in circles, nothing will ever get done!_

About a fox-length away from him, Fallingrain had her kits close to her. They had finally opened their eyes to the Thunderclan camp, and Shadowsnow was the only one to coax them both out. Although, the news presented to them was horrible for their first outing, even though they probably also didn't have a clue as to what was really going on.

"You are declining, aren't you?" Fernwhisker shouting above the commotion in the hollow.

"Definitely," Stormstar meowed. "We will show that we are declining, and Foxstar and I have already decided to create a temporary alliance until this threat is dealt with." More muttering went around the clearing, and Stormstar waited until everyone quieted down. _An alliance with Windclan, will that be stable? I heard of Windclan attacking Thunderclan some time ago, but I never understood why. There would be no gain…_ Shadowsnow pondered the thought, but then shook the idea out of his head. _Most of us know the horrible aftereffects of Tigerstar, and I feel he affects Shadowclan more than I first thought…_

Padding next to Fallingrain, she shot him a look, one of sadness, and Shadowsnow didn't know why. _Being clueless about females, anything else new?_ He tried to joke with himself, but couldn't bring himself to smile. "How are you doing?" he asked Fallingrain, who looked back up to Stormstar, who had called off the meeting. Stormstar padded back into her den, and Slyheart followed her inside.

"I'm doing alright, I guess," Fallingrain whispered. _Our relationship will probably never be fully repaired,_ Shadowsnow thought, remembered how Fallingrain would answer him before. Fallingrain would at least try to sound somewhat cheerful, even in the most dire of situations.

"Are you sure?" Shadowsnow asked and led the kits back to the cleft in the rock with his tail. "This news must be hitting you hard," Shadowsnow continued. Fallingrain didn't react. _Must be depressed,_ Shadowsnow decided, and went to his nest while Fallingrain lie in hers. Her warm scent reached his nose, and he missed being with Fallingrain in Shadowclan, before everything turned upside-down.

 _Why did Blackstar have to accuse me of the murder…?_

A dark wave of sleep overcame Shadowsnow, and he almost jolted himself awake until he realized how tired he actually was. _Goodnight, Fallingrain. This world will get better, I promise…_

Shadowsnow opened his eyes to dead grass and trees. Sighing, he knew he was in the dark forest again. _I would be glad to not wake up here,_ Shadowsnow almost growled, but he kept quiet, knowing that someone had to have brought him here. Mapleshade, or maybe Tigerstar had brought him here. Taking a few careful steps forward, Shadowsnow peered through the bushes.

On the other side, he noticed Lionblaze's golden pelt in front of a dark tabby. _Lionblaze has come back to the dark forest, but why?_ Shadowsnow questioned. Looking behind him, he saw nothing, and smelled no one else other than Tigerstar and Lionblaze. Turning back, he watched the two stare at each other angrily.

"You shouldn't have betrayed me," Tigerstar growled, looking as if he was too weak to actually fight anyone.

Lionblaze smiled, and growled, "Too bad. Was I your last hope?"

Tigerstar let out a growl and leaped towards Lionblaze, who dodged swiftly. "You're too weak, Tigerstar," Lionblaze's gaze turned serious, and Shadowsnow could watch the fight before him start, and end with Lionblaze's bloodied pelt on the grass.

But that was almost just the opposite.

Lionblaze swiped forward, and feinted Tigerstar by swiping left. Quickly shifting position, the golden tom dodged another attack by Tigerstar, and countered with a swift claw to Tigerstar's leg. Letting out a loud growl, trying to ignore the pain, from Shadowsnow's guess, the dark tabby leaped over Lionblaze and growled, "You think that prophecy of yours can save you?" Tigerstar moved fast to strike Lionblaze again, and Shadowsnow thought that Lionblaze wouldn't be fast enough. Shadowsnow was wrong as he watched Lionblaze leap towards the darkened sky. Coming back down, Lionblaze landed directly on top of Tigerstar. Trying to wriggle free, Tigerstar ended up on his back with Lionblaze's claws at his neck.

"You can't kill me," Tigerstar growled.

Lionblaze sheathed his claws and began to pad away. "How can I kill you, when you're already dead?" As Lionblaze went to leave, Tigerstar let out a loud laugh.

"That was Dustflash's mistake," Tigerstar growled, and Lionblaze turned back to him. But Tigerstar had already faded, and it was only Lionblaze in the center of the clearing. _Dustflash's mistake?_ Shadowsnow thought, and kept his gaze on Lionblaze, and noticed the fear in his amber eyes. _What mistake did Dustflash make?_

Before he was able to answer his own question, the grass around him turned black, and faded into a darkness unlike anything Shadowsnow had seen. It felt as if he was still surrounded by trees and dirt, but everything around him was black. Almost as if he had his eyes closed…

Shadowsnow woke up to the bright rays of sun-high. Stretching, hearing his stiff legs crack with satisfaction, he stood up, and padded out of the den. Giving a glance back, Shadowsnow's eyes met Fallingrain's, and he then looked to Lightkit and Darkkit, who were still sleeping soundly. _What is she thinking right now?_ Shadowsnow wondered. _What I wouldn't give to read her mind right now…_

Padding out of the den, he noticed Slyheart at the edge of the clearing, getting patrols ready for the day. "Ravenpaw, lead a patrol with Cedarheart, Silverpelt, and Fernwhisker," he meowed. "Check the Windclan border, and be careful while you go out there, alright?" Then Slyheart turned to Lionblaze. "Lionblaze, lead a patrol with Shadowsnow, Jayfeather, and bring Squirrelflight with you. Go towards the Shadowclan border." Shadowsnow slightly flinched, but nodded when Slyheart turned to him.

 _I think I can trust Lionblaze, after what I saw last night,_ Jayfeather tipped his head to one side, but ignored Shadowsnow. _If Lionblaze could defeat Tigerstar's influence, then I'm pretty sure he is trustworthy,_ Shadowsnow told himself, and padded behind the golden tom and Squirrelflight's ginger pelt. _Firestar's daughter, I'm guessing,_ Shadowsnow thought. _Firestar had a ginger pelt like that, or at least, that's what Whisperingmeadow told me._

By now, Shadowsnow was getting used to knowing his new clanmates. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf were all littermates, born under Cinderheart. Cinderheart was littermates with Squirrelflight and Leafpool, and their father was Firestar, while their mother was Sandstorm. _It's sad to know that-_

Shadowsnow's thoughts were cut off when he smelled Shadowclan scent. The Shadowclan border wasn't that far away from where they were now, as Shadowsnow was lost in thoughts the entire way there. Making sure he knew who each clan member was.

A recognizable scent came across his nose, and Shadowsnow instantly put the scent to the name. _That's Rainleaf,_ he thought, and began to growl lowly. _Fallingrain's mother is here…_ Forcing himself to stay calm, he stayed with the patrol, taking a few deep breaths. Lionblaze took a quick glance at Shadowsnow, and then turned away.

Keeping with the patrol, Shadowsnow knew they were just getting closer to the fresh Shadowclan scents. _Am I actually afraid of Rainleaf?_ Shadowsnow thought as the patrol padded closer. When they crossed through a set of bushes, three cats stood on the border.

 _Driftbranch! Moonshine!_ Shadowsnow recognized the two cats that stood about a fox-length away from Rainleaf. Shadowsnow had befriended them when they got back to being Shadowclan cats after the clans found the new place for their homes, although he wasn't very old. _Five moons, perhaps?_ Shadowsnow didn't remember, but his two best friends were standing before him.

"Hello," Driftbranch meowed curtly. "How are you doing?" Something seemed off in the way Driftbranch was speaking, and Shadowsnow didn't actually know what to say.

"Thunderclan is doing fine, Driftbranch," Squirrelflight meowed.

"I wasn't speaking to you," Driftbranch meowed calmly. "I'm speaking to Shadowsnow."

Now, all eyes turned to Shadowsnow, and before he could say anything, Jayfeather padded in between them. "Shadowsnow is doing fine," Jayfeather growled. "I suggest you leave before this becomes a problem." Driftbranch only chuckled.

"I'm not here to cause trouble, blind warrior," Driftbranch muttered. "I'm here because I promised Rainleaf I would help her." Driftbranch's gray eyes flashed towards the she-cat at the edge of the clearing. "I owe her because she saved me, and so, here we are. I don't know why she wants to visit Thunderclan though." Suspicion hid behind the gray eyes, and Shadowsnow ignored it.

"You know," Squirrelflight meowed, "You owe us as well. Did you forget that we helped get Moonshine out of the Bloodclan camp?" Driftbranch paused, and looked at Squirrelflight.

"That's the second reason why we are here," Moonshine spoke. Then Driftbranch nudged her and muttered something into her ear. "Fine," Moonshine rolled her eyes. "We'll let Rainleaf speak first."

Rainleaf padded up to the group of cats, and looked a little awkward, but opened her mouth to speak. "I want to know, how is Fallingrain doing?" Rainleaf asked. "I know she went to you," Rainleaf explained as Shadowsnow looked a little surprised. "Every time I visited her before she disappeared, Fallingrain would only talk about how you couldn't have killed your father." Rainleaf sighed. "I only want to know how she is doing."

Jayfeather and Lionblaze turned towards Shadowsnow, who felt the gazes burn through his pelt. "Fallingrain is doing fine," Shadowsnow meowed at last. "Her kits are doing good as well." Rainleaf nodded, and began to pad away.

"Accept them," she meowed, and went through the bushes. Leaving Moonshine and Driftbranch alone with the Thunderclan cats.

Driftbranch sighed. "We want to leave Shadowclan," he meowed at last in the silence that followed Rainleaf's leave. All the Thunderclan cats looked at him, surprised. "Shadowclan isn't what it used to be. We thought we could be happy there, but that isn't the case. I want to help the clans stay as four, not as one clan. It'd be just like what Bloodclan had done, except, I fear the casualties would be heavier, worse than before. Not just physically, but mentally. All the older cats can see what Blackstar is doing is wrong, but they can't convince him otherwise. The path he is on has already spiraled out of anyone's control." Driftbranch finished, and sadness flashed within his eye.

"He's telling the truth," Jayfeather meowed. "Shadowsnow, bring these two to the Thunderclan camp. Let Stormstar decide how to deal with them." Only nodding, Shadowsnow led the two cats to the camp.

Once they got through the bushes, Driftbranch meowed, "You never really killed your father, did you?" Shadowsnow only shook his head. "Good," Driftbranch meowed, sounding as if he was a little hurt at Shadowsnow's silence. _Serves you right,_ Shadowsnow thought. _You didn't even defend me when I was accused!_ "Blackstar has gotten power hungry, and I think Featherstar learned from her previous predecessor about power. Hawkstar loved having control…" Driftbranch's voice died, and Shadowsnow felt a little confused. Then Driftbranch spoke again, "I'm sorry for not defending you when you were accused. I should've, but I was afraid, afraid of what Blackstar would do if I did…"

 _Now you just want forgiveness,_ Shadowsnow thought, scenting the Thunderclan camp, which wasn't too far off now. "I wanted to protect Moonshine," Driftbranch continued. "That's why we left. She is going to have kits."

For the first time, Shadowsnow noticed how big Moonshine actually was. Her belly was swollen with unborn kits, and now Shadowsnow understood. "You want to call upon the friendship we had, and your ties with Thunderclan, to protect your mate," Shadowsnow guessed. Driftbranch nodded, and Shadowsnow understood the truth now. "Let's see what Stormstar has to say," Shadowsnow meowed, and leaped over a tree.

Driftbranch helped Moonshine get over the tree, and they were at the entrance. The guard at the moment was Graystripe, who recognized Driftbranch and Moonshine.

"What're you two doing here?" Graystripe meowed, sounding surprised.

Driftbranch explained the situation, and Graystripe nodded. "Let's see if we can't convince Stormstar to let you stay," Graystripe meowed and led the three cats through the tunnel. On the other side, Graystripe shouted, "Ravenpaw, take over guard duty for me. I have to do something." The black cat was over by the fresh-kill pile, and he looked at the two newcomers suspiciously, but nodded, and went to the entrance, disappearing in the thorns.

They started to go up the steps when Leafpool came out of the medicine den and noticed Moonshine. "You know," she meowed, "with being so close to giving birth, you shouldn't be running around like this. If I know Stormstar, I think she'll accept you both. You want to come into my den and wait for an answer with me?" Leafpool asked the pregnant she-cat. The dark tabby only nodded, and gave Driftbranch a quick glance, then left with Leafpool.

Padding into the leader's den, Shadowsnow was glad that Shardpaw wasn't inside. _This is either going to end with two cats in the forest, going to Windclan to get accepted, or we end up with two more cats. Either way, there is a chance they may not be accepted by either of our clans, and then they are alone…_ Shadowsnow hoped it wouldn't come to that. Although he still held a deep grudge against Driftbranch for not defending him, he still wanted the light brown tom to stay within Thunderclan.

"Okay, seriously," Stormstar growled, "If we accept any more cats, the other clans are only going to attack us. Especially if we keep accepting Shadowclan cats." Shadowsnow noticed the leader looked a little more stressed than usual, and couldn't blame her.

"I know," Driftbranch meowed. "But I want to call upon one thing to help me with this. Thunderclan and I have a past, ask Graystripe, Sandstorm, heck, even ask Silverpelt, Cedarheart and Flamespirit. They all know me from before the clans got back together."

"Why should Thunderclan accept you?" Stormstar growled, her blue eyes not bothering to hide the anger behind them.

"Because I have useful information you might want to hear," Driftbranch meowed. Stormstar nodded to let the tom continue. "I think I know the force running this show," Driftbranch meowed. "You remember Sol?" _Sol?_ Shadowsnow thought. _What does Sol have to do with this?_ Stormstar again, nodded, her eyes narrowing. "I have seen Blackstar conversing with Sol lately, and it seems that Sol has Blackstar in a tight grip. Sol seems to control every single action Blackstar makes." Driftbranch finished, and flicked his paw quickly, seeming a little irritated.

"I'm going to speak with some of my senior warriors," Stormstar meowed. "We will discuss your fate with Thunderclan, and the decision if you get to stay or not will be spoken sometime before moon-high." Driftbranch nodded, and Shadowsnow followed him out of the den. The clan watched as the two cats padded out, and Moonshine came out of the medicine den.

Shadowsnow went to the cleft in the rock, and showed them a spot they could nest in. The cleft was getting a little crowded, now that Lightkit and Darkkit were ready to run around, but neither Driftbranch or Moonshine seemed to notice. They lie down, obviously tired, but it seemed as if Driftbranch couldn't sleep. As Shadowsnow sat in his nest, he noticed Driftbranch pad over to him.

"Is Fallingrain really okay?" Driftbranch asked.

"To be honest, I don't know," Shadowsnow replied. "Fallingrain seems to ignore me half the time, and she always seems lost in memories. I don't know what's wrong, it may be because she came to Thunderclan, but I don't know." Fallingrain's ears twitched as she slept, and Shadowsnow didn't know if she heard him. "I just want her to be happy, but I don't think she can be until she's with the old Shadowclan again. Before Blackstar went power hungry…"

"I can agree," Driftbranch meowed. "At least Moonshine and I can be happy here. We at least have friends here, but you… You started off with none. So has Fallingrain. You are both alone in a place that is unknown."

Shadowsnow nodded in agreement. "Who replaced Shadowclan's medicine cat?" Shadowsnow thought wonderingly. Before he left, the last medicine cat died of sickness. _Ironic,_ Shadowsnow almost wanted to chuckle a little bit.

"Twigslash," Driftbranch replied. "He's doing pretty good so far, and no one knows how he does it. No one has taught him a single herb, yet he knows almost every single one and what it's used for. Personally, I think Starclan is teaching him in his dreams."

Giving one last nod, Shadowsnow lie down in his nest, letting Driftbranch know that the conversation was over. Shadowsnow slept until dusk…

Waking up at dusk, Shadowsnow heard Stormstar's call for the clan meeting to start. Padding out, he noticed that Lionblaze and Jayfeather were at the edge of the clearing, talking. Others had come out, and Shadowsnow also noticed Hollyleaf with Dustflash. _They make an odd pair,_ Shadowsnow thought. _Hollyleaf, the warrior-code follower to almost the smallest detail. Then Dustflash, the one who seems so loose around the code._ Turning his head to Stormstar, he waited for Driftbranch's fate to be voiced out.

"Driftbranch, Moonshine," Stormstar meowed loudly, "Is it your wish to join Thunderclan?"

 _Stormstar's making this a permanent decision, if they stay, they will be expected to stay,_ Shadowsnow realized. Moonshine and Driftbranch nodded. "Shadowclan is a mess, there would be no point repairing it now. It's a wound that needs to heal slowly," Driftbranch meowed, his gray eyes unwavering.

"Then you are accepted," Stormstar meowed. "This meeting is over."

Shadowsnow felt his heart skip a beat in excitement and he rushed to Driftbranch. "You seem lucky!" he meowed. "You get to stay for some time now."

Driftbranch smiled back. _Seems like we're friends again?_ His smile asked.

Shadowsnow nodded, and they went back to the cleft in the rock.

 _I'm glad that he get's to stay within Thunderclan, at least for the time being,_ Shadowsnow thought. Taking a glance back, he noticed that the only cats left in the clearing were Lionblaze, Dustflash, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather. _What're they doing?_ Deciding to ignore the four cats, he ended up speaking to Driftbranch about how he was doing in Thunderclan.

Yet, something tugged at him, something that felt familiar…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to review/comment! Appreciated!_

 _So, Driftbranch and Moonshine have returned to Thunderclan, and it sounds like Sol has his paws tied with Shadowclan in his grip..._


	18. Chapter 17

_Was I right to tell him about it?_ Hollyleaf didn't know if it was still a good choice to have told Dustflash what kind of life she was going to live. _Telling him about the prophecy might not have been such a good idea. Yet, why are Jayfeather and Lionblaze okay with it?_ It was a question she could not answer, not yet anyway. When Dustflash had told the other two he knew what was going on, Jayfeather just gave a grunt, and Lionblaze didn't even seem to register that someone outside the littermates group knew about the prophecy.

 _I can understand how Jayfeather might know,_ Hollyleaf realized, thinking of Jayfeather's ability. _But Lionblaze acted as if nothing happened._ Shaking the thoughts from her head, Hollyleaf climbed out of her nest. Outside, rays of light had pierced through the roof of the cover at the entrance, and Hollyleaf felt the rays warm her pelt as she padded outside. A cool, swift breeze pierced her ear fur, and Hollyleaf shook her pelt, dirt flying into the wall.

Slyheart had already sent out the patrols for the day, and Hollyleaf wasn't part of any of them. Stormstar wanted Hollyleaf off her paws until the wound had completely healed. As Hollyleaf walked, she tested how much weight she could put on her leg, and found it hardly hurt at all. Yet Hollyleaf knew better, it probably wouldn't heal for some time, or at least, not completely.

 _The dark forest is rising,_ Hollyleaf thought as she looked at the wound. Fur had just begun to grow back around the scar, but for her future, it would still be noticeable at certain angles. As Hollyleaf looked at her paw, she realized it was a little more white. The vision had come back to her so easily, when Hollyleaf last saw Cinderheart. Remembering that dream always broke Hollyleaf's heart, especially when she remembered the last thing that she spoke to Cinderheart during the gathering. _At least I know she forgave me,_ Hollyleaf sighed, and looked around the hollow. Dustflash had gone out on patrol, and Jayfeather and Lionblaze were hunting.

Deciding that being alone was her only real option, she decided to head to the Windclan border and wash her pelt in the water. Grooming would take too long, and Hollyleaf wanted to leave the camp. On her way out, she spotted the Shadowclan cats by where they normally slept. Hollyleaf had heard stories of Driftbranch and Moonshine being with Thunderclan when they went to save the clans. Shadowsnow seemed to slowly be accepted into the clan, as he seems to have a grudge against Shadowclan in some way. Then there was Fallingrain, a she-cat who seemed longing to go back to Shadowclan.

 _What is she thinking?_ Hollyleaf thought. _It would be nice to be Jayfeather right now…_

Fallingrain had her kits, Lightkit and Darkkit, very close to her. They were barely a moon old or so, yet they were still pretty small. Padding out of the entrance, she meowed a short greeting to Brightheart, who was guarding the entrance. _Stormstar is ready to be attacked from the new alliance clan…_ Hollyleaf thought as she kept walking. Hearing a rustle of bushes and the crack of bracken behind her, she turned to see a familiar, gray tom.

"What're you doing out here?" Hollyleaf asked Shardpaw, who gave a slight cough.

"I wanted to know where you were going," Shardpaw meowed, looking cheerful.

Smiling, Hollyleaf meowed, "I'm heading over to the Windclan border towards the stream. My pelt is dirty, and I feel too lazy to groom it." Shardpaw spat in disgust.

"You're going to be a Riverclan cat!" he joked.

Swatting him on the ear with her tail, Hollyleaf swerved around a few of the trees. The smell of Windclan over the wind was getting closer, and the trees seemed to clash together as the wind began to pick up. Beside Hollyleaf, Shardpaw shivered from the cold wind.

Hollyleaf began to feel like she was being watched as they went through the bushes. The river seemed to be flowing faster, and Hollyleaf began to rethink cleaning her pelt. _Might as well get it over with, although I hate water._ Hollyleaf dipped her paws into the river, and the splash from the water was enough to wash the dirt off her left side. Turning around, she cleaned off the other side of her pelt, and began to shiver with the cold water. Quickly getting out, Shardpaw started to laugh.

"You look very odd!" He exclaimed, and then put his paw to his mouth to try and stifle his laughing. It didn't work, and he burst into more laughter.

"Shut up," Hollyleaf giggled, and looked at her own pelt. _He's right, with my long fur, I probably do look odd!_ Turning around again, she looked at her reflection in the water.

But it wasn't her reflection she was looking at.

In the water, an orange and white tom stared directly back at her, his amber eyes shining. Hollyleaf stayed absolutely still, and a voice entered her head. _Find the truth where it all began…_ Startled, Hollyleaf leaped back, and the tom she saw from the reflection was on the other side of the river. The tom was transparent, like he was dead, and his mouth began to move. _Go back to where it all began, only then, will the truth be revealed…_

Shardpaw was now looking at Hollyleaf, surprised. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"I need to speak to Stormstar," Hollyleaf meowed, still trying to process what just appeared before her. _Whoever that was, he was from Starclan, I can guarantee that. But I know I don't know anyone with an orange and white pelt…_ Hollyleaf tried to think of all the cats she could remember, but didn't remember a single one.

Going through the bushes, the wind began to slow down, and Hollyleaf could hear Shardpaw right behind her. "What for?" He asked.

"Maybe I'll tell you later," Hollyleaf meowed. _Shardpaw didn't see it, which means that I was the only one meant to see it. Maybe Jayfeather and Lionblaze saw it too…_ Shaking her head, she quickly padded over a few sticks, and noticed Brightheart at the entrance. Going through the entrance, Brightheart sounded a little surprised. "Sorry, talk to you later," Hollyleaf apologized, and saw Slyheart. "Shardpaw, go find another warrior to take you hunting," Hollyleaf meowed. "Then take a rest." Shardpaw sounded as if he was going to argue, but thought the better of it. Padding up to Slyheart, Hollyleaf asked, "Have you seen Stormstar?"

Slyheart shook his head. "I'm pretty sure she joined the patrol with the Shadowclan border," he replied. "They should be back any heart-beat, I'm sure." Nodding, Hollyleaf went to the edge of the clearing, and began to wait.

The image of the orange tom was still trapped in her head, and as she looked to the entrance, Hollyleaf noticed Jayfeather and Lionblaze, who looked as if they were looking for something. Lionblaze turned to Hollyleaf, and began to pad toward her. Jayfeather followed.

"We saw something," Lionblaze meowed.

"You saw, I heard," Jayfeather corrected. Lionblaze made a quick apology.

Hollyleaf felt a little startled, but let her two littermates continue.

"An orange and white tom appeared before us and muttered something," Lionblaze meowed. "He said, ' _Go back to where it all began, and then the truth will be revealed.'_ What do you think it means?"

Jayfeather then looked to Hollyleaf with his blind eyes. "You saw it too, didn't you?" Hollyleaf nodded. "I think it means we have to go back to where the clans originated, in the old forest." Surprised at his conclusion, Hollyleaf only nodded, and then looked at her leg. "If you're worried about the scar," Jayfeather meowed, "I can help with that. I know a few basic herbs for the journey, so if anything should happen, I know at least something."

"So," Hollyleaf meowed, "We should wait for Stormstar. She might know something, or at least give us permission to go."

"But you have an apprentice," Lionblaze pointed out. "Are you sure she would let you leave?"

Jayfeather smiled, and nudged Lionblaze. "I'm pretty sure she would allow us on the journey. I mean, it wouldn't be so bad if Hollyleaf couldn't come-" Hollyleaf lifted her paw and smacked Jayfeather. "Ouch!" Jayfeather exclaimed, still smiling. "You got a problem?"

"Yeah, I do," Hollyleaf replied. "Great Starclan! Both of you can be really annoying! You both act like kits!"

"Guilty," Lionblaze growled playfully.

Hollyleaf lowered her head. "I miss the sarcastic and stubborn Jayfeather I knew!" She muttered, but didn't suppress the smile hiding behind her lips. "Let's wait for Stormstar-"

At that moment, Stormstar padded through the front barrier, and went up to her den. Surprise haunted her eyes, and Hollyleaf pointed her out. "Let's go," she meowed and followed Stormstar up to the top of the hollow. Stormstar turned around, and noticed the three.

"What do you need?" Stormstar asked, and flicked her tail to let them know to come into the den with her. They followed her inside, and Lionblaze launched into account of what he and Jayfeather witnessed. Then Stormstar's gaze rested on Hollyleaf. "Did you see something like that?"

"Yes, by the Windclan border," Hollyleaf meowed. "An orange and white tom with amber eyes, who said the exact same thing."

Stormstar nodded. "So we all saw the same thing then," she meowed. "What could that cat have meant?"

"Um, if I may," Jayfeather meowed politely. "I may have an answer. What if Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and I go to where the clans originated from. The old forest, the one Bloodclan drove the clans out of."

"Fine," Stormstar meowed. "But, slight problem. Hollyleaf, who'll train your apprentice while you're gone?" _I'm quite surprised she is letting us go so easily,_ Hollyleaf thought, and kept her gaze steady. "Dustflash would make a nice temporary mentor, or maybe Slyheart?" _I don't want to pick Dustflash,_ Hollyleaf thought. _Slyheart would do nicely…_

"Pick Slyheart," Hollyleaf meowed. Lionblaze looked at her as if she was crazy, and Hollyleaf had to suppress a smile that time. "He's a good cat, and it'd be good for Shardpaw to learn some other skills other than hunting and fighting. Slyheart would be a good mentor for that. When do we leave?" Hollyleaf asked.

"I would say, three days from now," Stormstar meowed. "You should also go tell Dustflash where you're going. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew your secret."

This time, all three littermates looked at Stormstar.

"Are you really surprised I knew?" Stormstar asked, and then lied down in her nest. "Bramblestar knew it, I knew it, I wouldn't be surprised if Leafpool knew." Stormstar closed her eyes, and the three took that as a sign of leave. They padded out, and Hollyleaf still felt a little shocked.

"Better go find Dustflash and tell him," Lionblaze shrugged, sounding a little shocked as well. "I'm going to the fresh-kill pile," and then Hollyleaf spotted Lionblaze go to sit next to Maplepaw. Jayfeather just started to chuckled from beside Hollyleaf.

"He's been padding after her since she came to this camp," he muttered. "They would make a nice couple, wouldn't they?" Hollyleaf couldn't really disagree, and went to the warriors den, where Dustflash was getting ready for a nap.

"Want to take a nap with me?" Dustflash asked, and Hollyleaf wrapped her tail around her front paws. Dustflash noticed, and asked, "Is this about _that_?"

"Jayfeather, Lionblaze and I have all received a message," Hollyleaf meowed. "I'm leaving in three days to join them and journey to the old forest. Where it all began." Dustflash lowered his gaze, and then turned back up to her. "I'll gladly accept that nap though," Hollyleaf smiled, and went to Dustflash's side.

Dustflash gave a slight smile, but Hollyleaf couldn't tell if it was real. "I'm sorry to leave you for some time," Hollyleaf apologized. "But this is something I have to do." Lying down, she felt Dustflash's breath against her ear.

"I know…"

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Sorry for the short chapter, don't forget to follow this story and review/comment! It's always appreciated!_


	19. Chapter 18

"Go with her," a voice whispered inside Dustflash's mind. Opening his eyes, Dustflash looked around. Around him were four giant trees, and he was standing on a rock. The voice inside Dustflash's mind wasn't Bramblestar's, it was actually a she-cats voice. "You are her only help now…" The voice echoed this time, and Dustflash tried to search for the source.

Jumping down, Dustflash heard the she-cats voice again. It came from behind him. Turning around, he noticed a speckled gray she-cat with blue eyes. "Who are you?" He asked, confused. Yet, the she-cat didn't respond, and only flicked her tail to let Dustflash know that she acknowledged what he had said.

"That is of no importance," Bramblestar's voice meowed behind Dustflash. Surprised, Dustflash turned his amber eyes to see his father, who was looking at the she-cat. "Right now, I have already convinced Stormstar to let you go with Hollyleaf and her littermates. There will be many problems and challenges that you'll face." Bramblestar then turned to Dustflash. "Who do you save?"

Dustflash flinched at the thought of his dream before, when Bramblestar had given him a choice. "Save…" But Dustflash's voice cracked. _Hollyleaf is a must,_ he thought. _She is one of the three. But what about Roseleaf, Silverpelt, and Bramblepaw?_ Dustflash looked to his father, and he finally rested upon his decision.

"Save Bramblepaw," he meowed.

Bramblestar nodded, hurt and happiness in his eyes. "Wake up, your clan needs you now…" Bramblestar faded, and Dustflash turned back to the she-cat, but she was already gone. _When I wake up, I should talk to Stormstar about going with Hollyleaf..._

Opening his amber eyes, Dustflash felt better when he was able to tell Hollyleaf was still next to him. She was sitting straight up, and out of the corner of his eye, noticed she was keeping the weight off her injured leg. _She's going to slow the group down when we leave, probably,_ Dustflash thought, and sat up. Hollyleaf looked at him with her sparkling green eyes, and he entwined his tail with hers, which was originally brushing against his back.

"I'll be back," Dustflash meowed, "I have to go speak to Stormstar."

Hollyleaf nodded, and went back to being deep in her thoughts. Padding away, he only knew he had to speak to Stormstar. _If Bramblestar said he was going to convince Stormstar to let me go, then I will go. Nothing else now…_ Leaping up the steps, he was met by Slyheart. "I want you to come with me," Slyheart growled. His eyes were a frosty blue that Dustflash could only see in one other cat. _You remind me of Hawkstar sometimes,_ Dustflash thought.

"Fine," Dustflash meowed. _This better not take long, I have to speak to Stormstar._ "What do you need me to do?"

Slyheart smiled. "I told you about Sol, correct? How we know each other?" Dustflash nodded. "I know where he is, and I have a feeling that we won't be seeing him for the rest of our days."

"Wait," Dustflash meowed, surprised. "You're going to kill him?"

Slyheart's eyes sparkled. "If it means I can sleep without thinking that piece of fox-dung, then by any means, yes." Before Slyheart went towards the entrance, he also meowed, "I also got permission from Stormstar. It's obvious no one likes Sol around here, and he seems a pain to just always be around. Why not get rid of him?"

"Because as far as we know, he hasn't done anything wrong," Dustflash meowed. "I'm surprised Stormstar would even agree. We don't actually have anything on him."

"He wronged me," Slyheart growled.

"No, not you, who you were," Dustflash argued. "You were a rogue, a loner, Slyheart. Riokotzu isn't who you are anymore. You are Slyheart, deputy of Thunderclan, ready to help your leader lead your clanmates through the darkest of times. What happens when you leave just to go murder a cat, who hasn't done anything wrong to the clans yet?" Slyheart just looked at Dustflash, and sadness entered his eyes.

"I thought I was a smooth talker," Slyheart chuckled. His tone had completely changed, and Dustflash only hoped that Slyheart would change his mind. _How long has he been thinking about just killing Sol? Also, why would he pick me to help him?_ "I won't do it." Dustflash let out a sigh of relief. "At least, not until he's wronged the clans in some way." Slyheart let out a low growl, and padded down the steps toward the fresh-kill pile.

 _Well, he isn't doing that now,_ Dustflash thought thankfully and went up the steps to Stormstar's den. _I visit her den a lot, don't I?_ Stormstar noticed Dustflash pad in, and let out a huge sigh. "How many warriors are going to ask me something today?" She smiled. "I already know what you want to ask. Go with them when they leave."

"That's not all I wanted to ask," Dustflash meowed. "Did you give Slyheart permission to kill Sol?" Stormstar looked at him in surprise.

"No, why?" she asked, her blue eyes narrowing.

"Slyheart is getting agitated knowing that Sol is close," Dustflash explained. "He wants Sol dead, and I have only deterred him for a short time. If Sol does anything to the clans, expect Slyheart to go missing for awhile…" Stormstar nodded.

"Alright," Stormstar meowed. "I feel like I'm losing control of the clan here," Stormstar sighed. "Everyone seems to have their own agenda now, and I don't even know what everyone is doing. How they are going about their business. You, Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather are normally the only ones to speak to me these days." Heaving herself to her paws, Stormstar looked past Dustflash to the sun outside. "We're ready for when Blackstar comes for us," Stormstar smiled. "I guarantee it. Let's show Shadowclan and Riverclan just what we're made of."

"Nice speech and all," Dustflash sighed, "But it's no good if only one cat is hearing it."

Stormstar just looked at Dustflash. "Just to say, you are one of my most trusted warriors," she meowed.

"I know," Dustflash meowed. "Yet, I'm still one the youngest."

"When you leave with the three, don't get separated," Stormstar meowed. "Who knows what's going on in the old forest? Only Bloodclan knows, and that's probably why they followed us. Something happened to Bloodclan, I can tell. Just be careful," Stormstar finished. "I don't think the clan could do without you."

Dustflash nodded. "I understand," he replied, and padded out of the den. As he climbed back down the steps, Dustflash noticed Hollyleaf, who was padding toward him. He also noticed the limp in her step as she nudged up against his side.

"I heard everything," Hollyleaf meowed. "Although, I'm wondering, why would Stormstar let you go so far, yet you are still her most trusted warrior?"

"A friend gave a nice visit," Dustflash meowed. "Convinced Stormstar to let me go, and I don't know why I have to go." Dustflash shook his head in annoyance. "Answers are almost never given, and when they are, they seem to raise more questions."

"Noted," Hollyleaf replied. "Let's head out of camp. I feel like the lake sounds like a good place to go, don't you think?"

Whenever Hollyleaf needed somewhere to go to think, the lake was where she went. If she ever wanted to just be with Dustflash, the lake seemed to always be the answer. Giving Hollyleaf a smile, he followed her out of the camp, and they both went down towards the lake…

It was still sunhigh when Dustflash and Hollyleaf had gotten to the lake, both ready to leave the camp behind them. Dustflash felt the soft sand beneath his paws, and the lake came farther up, lightly brushing at his pads. A cold, refreshing feeling went through his entire body, and it seemed weird that this day would be so hot.

 _Leaf-bare is over_ , Dustflash thought, and he finally sat down. Hollyleaf sat next to him, and leaned against his side. _Leaf-bare is over, and that also means Blackstar and his new alliance will soon be ready to fight. I just hope Thunderclan and Windclan are ready for the attacks…_ Dustflash could only just imagine the blood that would flow between all four clans. The war will begin on the half moon, only some days away from now.

 _We better be back before the war truly starts,_ Dustflash thought. _If we aren't, then something is going happen, and we may be too late…_ Dustflash thought of his dreams with Bramblestar, where he could only save one cat from whom he loved.

Bramblepaw, the medicine cat apprentice, who was barely seven moons old. Roseleaf, Dustflash's only sister and the one he spent his entire kithood and training with. Then his mother, Silverpelt. _I love them all, and I could only choose one… Saving Bramblepaw isn't just for myself, it's for the good of the entire clan. Bramblepaw will have the skills of a true medicine cat in a few moons, and we are going to need that in the coming days._ Dustflash looked to the sky, even though he knew the stars wouldn't appear until the night, he wanted to know what the future had to confront him with.

But Dustflash always knew the one thing that could comfort him most, and that was Hollyleaf. _Mentor and apprentice, should I find it odd that we became mates?_ Dustflash shook his head. _No, I shouldn't. It's what we both want, right? I'm happy that I get to be with her._

It was not until sunset when Dustflash's stomach growled, and he realized he hadn't eaten since the night before. Hollyleaf giggled a little, and nudged him away. "Go get some fresh-kill, I'll wait here," she meowed. "Get me something while you're out, would you?" Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Why don't you get it yourself?" Dustflash questioned, prodding Hollyleaf with his paw.

Hollyleaf over-dramatically fell to her side, and then covered her injured leg. "Why do you think I don't get it myself? I've hurt my leg!" Licking her ear, he muttered a quick, "I'll be back then" and went into the forest. "Don't take too long!" Hollyleaf called after him, and Dustflash rolled his eyes. _I'm really thinking this could be one of the last times we can have any fun together…_

Quickly finding a mouse, he snapped it's neck with ease, and buried it to go find another piece of prey. After about another few heart-beats, he spotted a squirrel climbing down a tree and going for a nut across a small clearing. _Easy,_ Dustflash smiled and dropped to the hunter's crouch, and waited for the squirrel to come back towards him. _Just one heart-beat… Now!_

Dustflash dashed forward, and landed on the squirrel. Nipping it's spine, he heard it's scream, and then it died. Picking up the prey, he went to find the mouse he buried and grabbed that as well. Padding back to the sandy slope to the lake, he followed the edge of the trees until he noticed Hollyleaf's black pelt near the bush where they had the nest before. _Another night here? Hollyleaf knows that we are going to be spending probably the next moon with each other, without the clan._ Yet Dustflash didn't say anything as he dropped the prey at Hollyleaf's paws.

"You really are a nice cat," Hollyleaf smiled, and lied down next to the prey. She began to bite into the squirrel, and Dustflash ate the mouse. They were both quiet the entire time, and when they were done, the moon was starting to rise, and the stars began to appear. _This day has gone by, quite fast._

"Doesn't Shardpaw need more training?" Dustflash asked Hollyleaf.

"Yes, but Slyheart is his temporary mentor, both while I'm gone and while I'm injured," she meowed. "I'm in no state to start training yet, to be honest, I'm still surprised Stormstar gave me an apprentice."

"She trusts you," Dustflash meowed. "The entire clan trusts you and your littermates."

Hollyleaf frowned and looked away for a second. "Can we not talk about this anymore?" She asked. Dustflash nodded, and they padded under the bush. A cool breeze hit Dustflash's tail as they went into the warmth of the den again. "This is just our getaway place, isn't it?" Hollyleaf smiled, and lied down on the grass, flinching as the injured side of her leg touched the floor.

"It is," Dustflash purred…

"They were always meant to come," a she-cats voice entered Dustflash's ear. The same one from the dream before. Dustflash blinked his eyes open, and in front of him were two cats. The she-cat from the night before, and a gray tom with a tear in his left ear. "Originally, the clans were composed of a few rogues, and some other cats that travelled a long way."

The gray cat spoke this time, coughing before he did. "The answers everyone seeks lies somewhere in the old forest, where the twolegs haven't gone. But that is still a lot of territory you need to cover."

"Just who exactly are you?" Dustflash whispered.

"My name is Gray Wing," the gray tom replied. "This here, is Quiet Rain."

 _Names, but not the answer I wanted,_ Dustflash thought, getting a little irritated as he wasn't getting any answers. Taking a deep breath, he thought, _Just calm down. Starclan cats are normally cryptic, why should now be any different?_

"Good luck on your journey," Gray Wing meowed. "The clans are counting on you now…"

Dustflash didn't bother trying to get answers at this point, and let the darkness of normal sleep take hold of him again. Everything disappeared, directly into the darkness…

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to comment/review. It's always appreciated!_


	20. Chapter 19

The presence of Thunderclan stopped bothering Shadowsnow some time ago, and he felt as pure and happy rather than when he was in Shadowclan. Shadowsnow felt no remorse leaving Shadowclan's boundaries now, and staying with the Thunderclan cats instead. Thunderclan made him feel welcome, where in Shadowclan, he remembered having a few fights for survival. He even remembered the gathering that happened that one night…

 _Shadowsnow watched as the gathering was about to begin. Stormstar had just gotten into the clearing with her clan, and Shadowsnow watched them sit with a few other cats. Only a few kept to themselves, and he also noticed Shadowpelt talking to his daughter._ When will he learn that Hollypaw, nor her brothers are joining Shadowclan? _Shadowsnow thought. Everyone in Shadowclan knew by now that Shadowpelt's only goal was to have Hollypaw with him in Shadowclan._ I don't even think the clan would accept her!

 _All he was waiting for was for Blackstar to declare war now. Shadowsnow had heard a few days earlier that Blackstar was talking to some dark tabby in his den, and the tabby left soon after. The only thing that really caught Shadowsnow's eyes was that the tabby had ice-blue eyes. At first, he thought it was Hawkstar, the leader of Riverclan before. But it seemed impossible, because Hawkstar had been dead since a little before Bramblestar's death._

" _I am declaring war on Thunderclan," Blackstar finally meowed, victory gleaming behind his eyes. He licked a black paw defiantly at Stormstar, who looked curious at this point. The leaders began to speak, and eventually, Blackstar gave Featherstar and Foxstar the notice to leave._ He's really doing it, _Shadowsnow thought, a little surprised._ Defying Starclan on the night of the gathering? I know it's been done before, but I never thought Blackstar would actually go through with this! _Shifting a little uncomfortably, he watched as Windclan and Riverclan left the clearing, and unsheathed his claws, ready to rip the fur off of anyone who defied him…_

Shadowsnow remembered the night very vividly, and it would sometimes come back in his dreams the longer he slept. Something always bothered Shadowsnow if he thought about it long enough. But the gathering, what he did, and what he caused was unacceptable…

 _The fight had broken out so quickly, Shadowsnow almost didn't have enough time to avoid Mudflight, who was ready to take down Thunderclan. Digging his claws into the soft earth, Shadowsnow looked for a target and located a gray tabby she-cat from Thunderclan. Dashing forward, he caught the she-cat by surprise, and bowled her over. She stood up, and looked at Shadowsnow, and then went to attack him._

 _Dodging the attack, Shadowsnow countered with a strike to the she-cat's leg, and felt the blood on his claws. Leaping back, he avoided another swipe, and then Shadowsnow launched himself forward, slicing his claws all the way down the she-cats side. The feeling of blood on his paws made Shadowsnow regret slicing so deep._

This she-cat is Thunderclan, _Shadowsnow thought._ Why should I care? _Turning away, he noticed the Thunderclan medicine cat, Leafpool, leap over to the she-cat._

" _Cinderheart! No!" Leafpool had cried out._

 _Regret stabbed at Shadowsnow's very soul._ I hope she doesn't die, _he thought to himself._ Blackstar created this mess, but the damage will never be fixed, _Shadowsnow thought, and an image of the gray tabby she-cat bleeding out to death on the battlefield was too much to bear. Shaking his head, he thought,_ What have I done? I shouldn't have scratched her so deeply…

 _Most knew it wasn't it Shadowsnow to actually kill unless it was required. Even Blackstar, who was his mentor just two moons before. Turning, he noticed his mentor staring at Cinderheart's body, and another warrior had come to help Leafpool. Shadowsnow watched as they took the she-cat away from the battle, and when he looked at Blackstar in the eyes, he saw a gleam. A gleam of satisfaction he hadn't seen before…_

"I have to tell them," Shadowsnow whispered, his voice only carried by the slight wind moving through Thunderclan territory. He sat near the lake, his paws buried in the sand as the night sky was growing slightly brighter as the clouds moved away from the bright moon. Looking to the stars, he whispered, "I can't live with the guilt anymore. I know everyone in Thunderclan, and most of whom were related to someone I knew from gatherings. What I have done…"

He didn't bother saying anything more, and went back towards the camp. _They need to know,_ Shadowsnow thought. _I just want some sort of forgiveness…_

Shadowsnow had never bothered remembering the night of the gathering until he spoke with Leafpool. Leafpool had mentioned that some Shadowclan cat had killed her sister, who had three kits. Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze. Normally, Shadowsnow's mind would focus on Whisperingmeadow, who had died from someone else's claws. _Might as well have one thing off my mind…_

Entering the camp, he noticed Leafpool was whispering to herself on the ledge next to the medicine den. _Here goes nothing,_ Shadowsnow thought, and padded over to her. "I want to talk to you," Shadowsnow meowed, and wrapped his tail around his front paws.

"Go on," Leafpool sighed.

"I have to apologize," Shadowsnow meowed, but stopped, and Leafpool just glanced at him.

"For what?" Leafpool asked.

Taking a deep breath, Shadowsnow meowed, "I was the one who killed your sister."

Leafpool gasped, and didn't breathe for several heart-beats. She only looked at Shadowsnow with a mixture of emotions in her eyes. Fear, anger, a burning passion to just slice the cat who stood before her now. "Do what you want with me," Shadowsnow meowed. "I deserve it."

But Leafpool only shook her head. "No," she replied, and her eyes looked back to the stars. "I think exiling yourself from Shadowclan was enough." _Wise words, but I would rather be punished a different way,_ Shadowsnow thought irritably. "Have you told her kits yet?" Leafpool asked. Shadowsnow shook his head. "Tell them when they are all in the clearing tomorrow. Hollyleaf hasn't come back with Dustflash yet, so I assume they've gone to their spot by the lake."

At the mention of the lake, Shadowsnow froze. _How far away was I from Hollyleaf?_ He thought. _I hope I didn't do anything to intrude!_ Shadowsnow nodded, and then padded away from the medicine cat. Going under the cleft, he lie down next to Fallingrain. _Maybe I can patch up our relationship tomorrow as well,_ Shadowsnow thought. _But could I do that?_

Closing his eyes, Shadowsnow wasn't able to fall asleep comfortably.

Shadowsnow opened his eyes to the light of dawn outside the den. Darkkit and Lightkit had already left the den with Fallingrain, who sat only a fox-length away, keeping a close eye on the kits. Fallingrain gave Shadowsnow a quick glance, and then looked back toward the two kits, who were still small.

Standing, Shadowsnow gave a quick stretch and padded over to Fallingrain. "You know, they'll never know anything about Shadowclan," Shadowsnow meowed, and Fallingrain nodded. "What're you going to do if you want to go back?"

For once, Fallingrain didn't make a snarky comment to be funny, or try to answer the question with any seriousness. Instead, she stayed silent, but the look in her eyes let Shadowsnow know that she would be torn between Thunderclan and Shadowclan. Then, he heard her whisper something, and almost didn't catch it. "What would I do? Shadowclan doesn't deserve to have healthy kits." Shadowsnow noticed a tear fall from her cheek onto the stone ground. "Where did we go wrong?"

The question didn't seem to be targeted to just Shadowsnow and Fallingrain, but the entirety of Shadowclan itself. "If you want to talk about Shadowclan," Shadowsnow replied, "Blackstar being leader is where we went wrong. If you talk about us…" Shadowsnow paused as Fallingrain looked at him. "Nothing has gone wrong."

Fallingrain's eyes widened in surprise as Shadowsnow kissed her. It had been so long since he actually felt her warm touch, he had actually forgotten what it felt like. He broke off after a few heart-beats, and thought, _I just achieved what I thought would be impossible._ "Our lives were shaped when we first met," Shadowsnow continued. "I never want us to be apart."

Fallingrain's answer to what Shadowsnow just said was to purr, and lean against him. "Our kits will be happy here," Shadowsnow meowed. "I can guarantee that. Forget the past, and now, we should look to the future." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hollyleaf's recognizable black pelt enter the clearing with Dustflash's gray pelt and brown paws. "I'll be back, I have something else I need to talk to someone about."

Padding away, Hollyleaf noticed him, and meowed, "Something you want?"

"Can I talk to you and your brothers?" Shadowsnow asked, his heart skipping a beat with anxiety. _What I have to say to them could end badly._ Shadowsnow also noticed Leafpool, who was looking at him and Hollyleaf. _The truth must be told,_ Shadowsnow thought as he followed Hollyleaf towards Lionblaze and Jayfeather, who were eating. Jayfeather narrowed his eyes as he padded up.

"What do you have to say?" Hollyleaf asked, sounding curious.

"Do you remember the gathering when Blackstar attacked Thunderclan?" Shadowsnow asked, and all three nodded.

"We weren't there for the battle," Lionblaze explained. "We were told to leave before it broke out."

"Alright," Shadowsnow meowed. "I have something to confess, and I have already told Leafpool this." Jayfeather's eyes closed, and he growled lowly. "I am the reason Cinderheart is dead."

All three were dead silent, taking in what Shadowsnow had just said. Then Hollyleaf moved quickly, and the next thing Shadowsnow knew, a wound had opened on his shoulder. Lionblaze and Jayfeather stared at Hollyleaf in surprised, and Shadowsnow turned to see Hollyleaf's tears hitting the ground.

"You piece of fox-dung," Hollyleaf growled and turned her head. Her eyes glittered with hatred, and Shadowsnow could feel the sticky, warm blood go down his left leg. "You are the reason I always feel so empty," Hollyleaf hissed. "The reason I always felt I did something wrong. You want to know what the last thing I said to my mother was? Something horrible, something I wish I could take back, but I can't."

Everyone who was in the clearing was looking at Shadowsnow and Hollyleaf at this point, and Shadowsnow was surprised that with the commotion, Stormstar hadn't come out. Looking down, he realized his left paw was standing in a pool of his own blood, and he took a step out of it. Hollyleaf dashed forward to do another strike, but Lionblaze and Jayfeather jumped in front of her.

"Hollyleaf, it's not worth it," Lionblaze meowed.

"He's already suffered," Jayfeather meowed. "He is an outcast of his own clan, and his own mate seemed to ignore him for some time. Leave him be."

It looked as if Hollyleaf was going to ignore her brothers, and just go straight through them. But she stayed in place, looking at Shadowsnow with a mixture of anger and sadness. "You deserve the dark forest," Hollyleaf finally growled. Her brother's tried to calm her down in some way, but Hollyleaf only hissed, "Leave me alone!"

In a heart-beat, Hollyleaf dashed out of the camp, and left her brothers just standing there. "Let's go after her," Jayfeather sighed, and looked to Shadowsnow. "It's alright, I forgive you, and so does Lionblaze. It'll take Hollyleaf awhile, but she should accept you at some point." Shadowsnow only nodded, and went to go back to the cleft when his shoulder sent a sharp pain through his leg. Barely standing, he went over to Leafpool, who didn't say anything until she applied some of her herbs to the wound.

"I never knew about how Hollyleaf felt," Leafpool whispered. "Guess I was wrong to have you tell them," she added, sighing. "Especially now that you're hurt."

"It's fine," Shadowsnow meowed. "Even if you didn't tell me to, I would've. Squirrelflight probably knows by now too, since I kinda just revealed it to everyone."

Leafpool chuckled, "Squirrelflight wasn't as close to as Cinderheart as she would've been, but you can't blame her. Those two had personalities that didn't match, and yet, I matched with both of them. Plus, whenever they needed something, they always visited me for advice. I would always give, and then we would just play around for awhile."

Shadowsnow nodded. "I understand," he meowed. "I just wish I had a chance to know who my brother actually was. I never got the chance to meet him, because he disappeared before I even opened my eyes. Never saw him, and Whisperingmeadow never mentioned him to me. I only found out through my mother, but my mind was on other things. I tend not to remember the smallest things these days, and spend my time regretting what I have done."

"You shouldn't regret what you have done," Leafpool meowed. "You killed a cat, almost every warrior accidently kills or severely injures another. You are of no exception, and now the clan knows. You are who you are, and you interact with others. Don't let that hold you back." After putting a final layer of cobweb to keep the herbs juices on, she meowed, "Don't try anything for awhile. It'll be a few days before you can truly hunt."

Nodding, Shadowsnow went back to his nest, and noticed Fallingrain pad over towards him. Letting out a quiet sigh, he used his right leg to heave himself up. "What happened?" Fallingrain asked. "One heart-beat, you were talking, the next, Hollyleaf clawed you!"

"I wanted to tell them something that I had done," Shadowsnow meowed. "I wanted the past behind me, to stop dwelling on it. During the night Blackstar attacked Thunderclan during the gathering, I killed a cat on accident. I never meant to make such a deep wound. Turns out, she died in the Thunderclan camp. Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather are all related to that one cat, so I told them. What I didn't expect was Hollyleaf to do what she did…" Shadowsnow's voice died, and he felt a little fatigued.

Fallingrain licked his ear. "It must be painful for her to remember her mother," she whispered, a little strain in her voice. _Fallingrain must miss her mother more than ever,_ Shadowsnow thought, looking past Fallingrain and watched Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze enter the camp. They went to the warriors den, and didn't come back out. _Now I have one enemy in this clan,_ Shadowsnow sighed. _All I wanted to do was come out with the truth…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _I'm bothering myself with these short chapters now, but once I have something done, I just can't write extra detail!_

 _Anyway, don't forget to review/comment, it's always appreciated!_


	21. Chapter 20

"I am the reason Cinderheart is dead."

Shadowsnow's meow echoed in Hollyleaf's mind, and the memory of the dream of her mother started to bring the pain she lost flooding back. All the time she spent mourning her mother, regretting what she had said with every breath she took… All that work to finally move past it, all to have it ruined with a simple sentence.

In a flash, she unsheathed her claws and sliced into Shadowsnow's shoulder. Hollyleaf could tell that the wound was deep after the slice, but she didn't care. Turning to look at Shadowsnow, he had turned to look at her, and he looked at his shoulder, which was now bleeding heavily.

"You piece of fox-dung," Hollyleaf growled. "You are the reason I always feel so empty," Hollyleaf hissed. "The reason I always felt I did something wrong. You want to know what the last thing I said to my mother was? Something horrible, something I wish I could take back, but I can't." Hollyleaf took a step forward, and prepared to dash at Shadowsnow again. She was well aware that everyone in the clearing was watching the scene now. Hollyleaf didn't even get a tail-length towards Shadowsnow without Jayfeather and Lionblaze jumping in front of her.

"Stay out of my way," Hollyleaf growled lowly, keeping her claws unsheathed.

"Hollyleaf," Lionblaze meowed calmly, "It's not worth it."

"He's already suffered," Jayfeather meowed, "He is an outcast from his own clan and his own mate seemed to ignore him for some time. Leave him be."

Hollyleaf took a deep breath, and her hatred for Shadowsnow only seemed to grow by the heart-beat. "You deserve the Dark Forest," Hollyleaf growled, aiming the words at Shadowsnow. Jayfeather and Lionblaze tried to get closer to Hollyleaf, but she only took a step back. "Leave me alone!" she hissed, and bolted for the entrance of the camp.

Forest was the guard at the entrance, and she accidently ran into him. "Hey!" Forest muttered. "You could at least say you're sorry!" But Hollyleaf barely registered the words, and her emotions were about to pour out any moment. Everything she had wanted to get past had been following her for so long, and Hollyleaf hadn't even known about it.

Hearing pawsteps behind her, she knew it had to be Jayfeather and Lionblaze. They were the only ones who would probably follow her to help her. _I don't want any help,_ Hollyleaf wanted to shout at the two toms, and she sprinted through a pair of bushes, and came up on the lake's edge. The blood on her paw made the sand stick, and she shook it in irritation, hearing both her brothers pad out of the bushes behind her.

"Hollyleaf…" Lionblaze murmured.

Hollyleaf wrapped her tail around her paws, and looked towards the water. It was steadily flowing in and out of the lake, and nearby, the sound of the river filled her ears. Her whiskers twitching, Hollyleaf looked across the lake.

"How nice would it be if something never followed you?" Hollyleaf asked her brothers. "I've been followed by the burden of my thoughts for so long now, they just started to disappear. It's painful to have them again, and I feel as if I'm broken, ripped up until every shred of my emotions has poured out." Hollyleaf's tears were still coming, and she was surprised she could keep her voice steady. "Why do I always have these thoughts?"

Jayfeather was the first to pad up to her, and he placed his tail on her shoulder. "It's alright," he meowed. "It's your choice to forgive him or not. We won't force you to do anything." Jayfeather sighed. "We both know that Cinderheart forgave you, but you keep dwelling on it like a piece of old prey, and it's not healthy for you to be doing this to yourself. Lionblaze and I can only do so much to help you, only if you're willing to help yourself."

Hollyleaf nodded, and stood up, staring at her reflection in the water.

"Of course you should be one of the three," Jayfeather meowed. "You forget, I can still read your thoughts." _I didn't forget, we both know I shouldn't,_ Hollyleaf thought. "Why? Because you have feelings?" Jayfeather retorted. "We all have feelings," Jayfeather continued, and Hollyleaf looked at him, using her paw to wipe her tears from her eyes. "I sometimes wish this prophecy never existed," Jayfeather meowed, aiming his eyes towards the water. "It's a burden to me, and I wish I never had the power in the first place. It makes me stand out, and I don't like it, but I'm dealing with it because I can't change it. Like you can't change the past," Jayfeather finished.

Hollyleaf kept staring her reflection, and then turned towards Jayfeather. Licking her brothers ear, she meowed, "I needed that." Hollyleaf then padded back through the forest, her brothers trailing behind her. After what seemed like only a few heart-beats, she noticed Forest at the entrance, and he looked at her. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's fine," Forest meowed, and sat back down.

Entering the camp, Hollyleaf went straight to the warriors den. All pain was forgotten, even in her foreleg. In fact, she hadn't felt any pain in it since the day before. Lying down in her nest, Hollyleaf tucked her paws under her head and wrapped her tail around her face. Closing her eyes, she willed for sleep to come. Hollyleaf wasn't ready to face her clanmates, not yet…

Everything was dark, too dark. Hollyleaf felt stone beneath her paws, and quickly opened her eyes. Around her, there were dead trees, dark grass, and an evil and dark feeling had touched her. Hollyleaf could feel the darkness approaching, sense its approach by the touch of her whiskers. She kept twisting around, ready to expect something to happen.

 _It's time_ , a voice called within the darkness. A dark, thick fog started to fill the clearing, and multiple pairs of eyes surrounded Hollyleaf. She heard her own heart-beat, could feel it pounding in her body. "Time for what?" Hollyleaf whispered, fearing the worst.

A dark tabby padded out of the fog, meeting Hollyleaf face-to-face. _Tigerstar,_ Hollyleaf thought, her anxiety gone, her fear easily rolling off her in heavy waves. Unsheathing her claws, she prepared to defend herself.

"No need for that," Tigerstar's deep meow cracked, and Hollyleaf noticed his deterioration. His fur seemed to ever so slowly disappear in front of her. It was noticeable, yet so slow, Hollyleaf wondered what had happened to Tigerstar to make him this way. "I'm not strong enough for you," Tigerstar continued, coughing. "Maybe I'll kill you later."

"What do you want?" Hollyleaf growled towards the dead Shadowclan leader. "Why do you keep bothering the clans?"

"Because I have an offer you can't refuse," Tigerstar meowed. Hollyleaf turned to run, but something held her back, claws seemed to poke her side, and it seemed too dangerous to enter the fog. "Don't be like that-"

" _Hollyleaf!" Shadowpelt meowed. "Don't be like this. You should at least talk to your father. I want to know how my daughter is faring…"_

"Shut up," Hollyleaf growled. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"You do," Tigerstar meowed. "What if I could give you what you wanted at this moment?" Tigerstar asked. Hollyleaf stopped, and looked at Tigerstar. "You can see your mother, alive and well within a moon from now, maybe two moons, tops." Tigerstar's amber eyes gleamed with excitement. "You just have to give me permission."

 _What is this?_ Hollyleaf thought, and sheathed her claws. "What do you mean?"

Tigerstar smiled. "You see, Cinderheart would never regain her memories, but you'd be with her. She would know you very well, know what you want, help you when you needed it. If you don't accept this offer-" Tigerstar spun a little bit, and then returned with an evil smile, his amber eyes glowing with excitement. "I'll make you life miserable."

Hollyleaf sat down, and her thoughts began to fill her head. _I would see my mother again,_ Hollyleaf thought happily. _But this is a deal with Tigerstar. My life would be miserable anyways._

"You will never remember anything that happened tonight until I am done," Tigerstar meowed, padding up to Hollyleaf. Taking his claw, Hollyleaf tried to move, but found herself rooted to the spot. "Have fun wondering if you actually agreed to this deal or not…" Tigerstar's claw tip touched Hollyleaf's forehead, and she blacked out…

Hollyleaf awoke, gasping for breath. Beside her, Dustflash awoke, and looked at Hollyleaf, studying her carefully. Hollyleaf then felt very warm, yet she was touching nothing but the stone floor she jumped on. Looking at her leg, the wound had torn open again. _No…_ Hollyleaf thought, and realized her leg was caked with her own blood.

"I'll… I'll be back," Hollyleaf stammered, and padded out. Dustflash was left staring at her, probably in wonder at what just happened. Hollyleaf went to the medicine den, where Bramblepaw was awake, and he seemed in fear of something.

"Bramblepaw," Hollyleaf whispered, feeling the blood stick to her fur. It didn't hurt at all, which surprised her. "I need either you or your mentor to close the wound again."

Bramblepaw seemed lost in thought, but he nodded, heading into the herb store and coming out with a few leaves and some cobweb. "You really should be careful when you sleep," he yawned. "You seem to open that wound too often, and you come here in the mornings. This the the last of what we can get until morning," Bramblepaw finished, applying the herbs. "See you in the morning, probably." Bramblepaw let out another huge yawn.

"Did something happen to keep you awake?" Hollyleaf asked, worried for the young medicine cat. Bramblepaw turned, and plainly blinked, his blind eye sparkling with the moonlight shining in.

"I don't actually know," he answered. "I'd have to ask Leafpool before I tell anyone else." Bramblepaw climbed into his nest, only about a tail-length away from Leafpool's nest. _It shouldn't be too long before they go to the Moonpool on the half moon,_ Hollyleaf realized. _We can't agree to what Blackstar is doing. It's just what happened before the clans were practically destroyed. Does Blackstar really want that to happen again?_

So many questions eluded Hollyleaf, but the worst one was her dream last night. In a heart-beat, she remembered only the beginning of her dream, up until when Tigerstar touched her forehead with his claw. _What was my answer?_ Hollyleaf thought. _If he gave me the free right to an answer, what would I have picked._ On her way back to her nest, she carefully placed her injured leg outside the nest, just to make sure she didn't open the wound again.

"What happened?" Dustflash whispered into Hollyleaf's ear. She could tell he sounded worried, and sighed, twisting her head to look into his amber eyes.

"I don't know," she replied. "It's alright, I'm fine."

"You were mumbling in your sleep," Dustflash explained, still quiet. "Something about accepting or whatever." Hollyleaf felt her heart skip a beat. _Did I actually…?_ On her way back, she decided she would've never accepted the deal, even if it meant she had to die at some point. _Cinderheart deserves to be at rest, but did I actually accept?_

"I'm alright," Hollyleaf lied. "Probably just a bad dream I don't remember. Just go back to sleep." Hollyleaf hated lying to Dustflash at this point, but it was necessary, at least, until she figured out if she had accepted or not. "Probably just not feeling well…" Hollyleaf whispered, and she didn't even hear herself as she closed her eyes. _Please, tell me I didn't accept…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _This must be read._

 _I am going to have a vote on whether Hollyleaf accepted the deal or not. Everyone who reads this, just leave a review/comment down below on what you want to see._

 _Sorry for the short chapters, I'm just not having much time to do much!_


	22. Chapter 21

_Why do I always end up here?_ Dustflash thought, giving a sniff. The smell of death and decay surrounded him, like a spiral, and as he opened his eyes, he noticed the same dead trees that were always there. _The Dark Forest can't take me, so why do I keep coming back?_ Taking a step forward, his paw ended up in a puddle of something sticky. Lifting his paw, there was blood. Flicking his paw to try and get rid of it, he realized the only way to make it through this place was to keep going forward. _Let's just hope I don't meet Tigerstar,_ Dustflash thought, unsheathing his claws at the idea.

Padding forward, each of his paws began to feel warm, easily sticking to the blood he was moving through. _I'm sick of getting stuck in this same routine,_ Dustflash wanted to growl with irritation, but he kept quiet, in case anyone was around.

Dustflash felt as if he might have to swim, until he came up on the bank of the flood of scarlet liquid. _Can't the Dark Forest just leave me alone?_ Dustflash thought irritably. _I've had quite enough of them, enough to last nine lifetimes…_ Keeping quiet, he padded forward until he was able to peer through the bushes that covered the edge of the bank.

In a heart-beat, Dustflash was horrified at what he was watching. In the clearing, cats were training for battle, and Dustflash watched as they were shown killing bites and swipes that would be able to kill another cat in only a few heart-beats. But that wasn't what Dustflash was so horrified from, it was the fact that the cats being trained, weren't Dark Forest warriors.

They were from the clans themselves.

Dustflash recognized cats from gatherings, and one in particular stood out among every pelt, every tooth and every claw. A large, white, muscular tom with black paws.

Blackstar was talking with Tigerstar on the other side of the clearing, both obviously too deep in conversation to pay attention to much else. Although, something was different, and Dustflash noticed Tigerstar wasn't as… bad, as Dustflash had seen him before. Tigerstar was instead practically radiating power in the clearing, and Dustflash wondered what happened.

Another tom was also next to them, and his back was turned, so Dustflash couldn't tell who it was. But it was easy to distinguish the pelt color. It was reddish black, and Dustflash also noticed the cat's white paws and black and white stripes. _Slyheart..._

"It was an accident," Bramblestar's voice whispered behind him. "Someone was able to get the pieces of his soul back from Starclan. We don't have anymore time, in the morning, your group will _have_ to leave as soon as possible. There is no more time to waste. Dustflash," Bramblestar growled, and Dustflash turned to him. Bramblestar's amber eyes were focused on Tigerstar across the clearing. "Promise me you'll make it back to the clans one full moon from now."

Dustflash looked back, taking in the sight to behold of the clans. _We are our own destruction,_ Dustflash thought, and closed his eyes. "I promise," Dustflash meowed, opening his eyes, and realized he was no longer in the Dark Forest. Around him were the forests of Starclan, and above him, the sun was shining down…

"Hollyleaf made a decision," Bramblestar padded up behind Dustflash. "Be careful, because two moons from now, something will happen. We don't know her answer, but whatever it was, affected Tigerstar's health. He's stronger than before, his soul has been placed back. But he wasn't like that when he first brought Hollyleaf to the Dark Forest." Bramblestar's amber eyes lowered. "I wish I could tell you Hollyleaf's answer, but even if I knew, I would probably not be permitted to tell you."

"Wait," Dustflash meowed. "What was the decision for?"

Bramblestar looked at Dustflash with sadness behind his amber gaze. "Whether to bring Cinderheart back or not…"

Dustflash was a little confused now. "Wait, how does Tigerstar going back into a healthy state have anything to do with Hollyleaf's decision?"

"We don't actually know that yet," Bramblestar answered. "But it seems too coincidental, doesn't it?" _He doesn't actually mean Hollyleaf had anything to do with Tigerstar, does he?_ Dustflash didn't know, but the events seemed to coincide with each other. _I can't believe Hollyleaf helped Tigerstar,_ he thought. _I just can't..._

Dustflash awoke when he was bumped by Hollyleaf, who was muttering in her sleep again. "... accepting…" Hollyleaf muttered. In a heart-beat, Hollyleaf leaped out of the nest, fear in her eyes, and Dustflash began to feel sorry for Hollyleaf. _Plagued by bad dreams and decisions,_ Dustflash guessed. He also noticed the nest was a little sticky with blood. _I'll have to deal with it in the morning,_ Dustflash then yawned. _I'm still too tired to actually do anything..._

"I'll… I'll be back," Hollyleaf stammered, and Dustflash could tell something was definitely bothering her. _It's the decision she had to make,_ Dustflash narrowed his eyes as Hollyleaf padded out. Putting his head back down, he waited until Hollyleaf came back. _Should I act as if I don't know what's going on?_ Dustflash questioned.

He watched as Hollyleaf's silhouette entered the den again, her green eyes reflecting what little moonlight was in the den. As she lie back down, Dustflash whispered, "What happened?" Even Dustflash heard the worry in his own whisper. _Will she tell me the truth?_

"I don't know," Hollyleaf whispered back to him. He noticed her slightly shake her head. "It's alright, I'm fine." _I definitely know she's lying to me…_ Dustflash narrowed his eyes. Then he decided to say something else.

"You were mumbling in your sleep, something about accepting or whatever," Dustflash put his head on Hollyleaf's shoulder. _Please tell me you left Cinderheart at rest,_ Dustflash closed his eyes.

"I'm alright," Hollyleaf meowed, and Dustflash felt her pelt shake a little bit. "Probably just a bad dream I don't remember," Hollyleaf continued, and Dustflash felt her tail wrap around him, and if felt as if she was trying to comfort herself. "Just go back to sleep," Hollyleaf finished, and then muttered something inaudible.

 _I'll try_ , Dustflash opened his eyes, and he kept them lowered a little bit. _Please, don't make any wrong decisions. When we get up in the morning, we have to leave. Maybe she'll give me answers…_

 _If she remembers,_ Brokenstar's dark voice meowed within his head before he fell asleep…

Dustflash opened his eyes, and felt Hollyleaf shift beneath his head. Lifting himself to his paws, he nudged Hollyleaf awake. "Get up," he meowed, "I'm going to throw out the nest. We won't need to get any new moss, we leave today." Hollyleaf got up, and padded out of the den, taking a glance at Dustflash before she went into the sunlight.

Then Dustflash dragged the bloody moss nest out of the den, lost in his thoughts and doubts about Hollyleaf. It took longer than he thought to drag the nest away from the den, but Dustflash was able to throw the nest outside, about five fox-lengths away from the entrance to the camp. Turning back, he felt something tug at him. _Go now, there isn't much time…_ Bramblestar's voice echoed in his mind, and Dustflash nodded.

Quickly padding into camp, he noticed that Hollyleaf, Jayfeather and Lionblaze were across the clearing, speaking about something. Padding over, he meowed to them, "We need to leave. Now." They each looked at him, a little surprised at his tone of voice, and then Jayfeather nodded.

"I understand," Jayfeather meowed. _Will you stop reading my mind so fast?_ Dustflash thought toward the gray tom. Jayfeather only smiled, and meowed, "Go tell Stormstar, we'll get ready."

Dustflash only shook his head, and padded up the steps towards Stormstar's den. On the way up, he noticed Slyheart coming out of the leader's den and pad down the large steps. _He was in the Dark Forest…_ Dustflash thought, and past Slyheart without a word spoken. _I hope he actually doesn't know what he's helping to unleash…_

Going into Stormstar's den, he meowed, "We are leaving."

Stormstar looked at him in surprise. "Now?" She asked, her eyes a little wider.

"Yes," Dustflash meowed. "We have lost all time now, and we need to begin our journey. With, or without your permission." Dustflash turned around, to leave, and Stormstar meowed, "Wait." Turning around to look at Stormstar, Dustflash wondered what the leader would want.

"I need you to deliver a message to Foxstar," Stormstar meowed. "We need to know if she is completely on board with going against Blackstar's alliance. Also, we'll need to know our plan of action against the alliance clan, so have her send a detachment of warriors over to us to come up with a plan. Probably either Foxstar herself or her deputy. Do you have time for that?"

Dustflash contemplated the mission for a moment, and nodded. "Yeah, it's barely off course from where we need to go. Shouldn't take too long." Dustflash meowed. _I'll have to tell them about the delay now,_ Dustflash thought irritably. Going outside, he watched as Bramblepaw and Leafpool brought out four bundles of herbs, carrying them towards Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. _Here goes nothing…_ Dustflash took a deep breath, a leaped down into the clearing, landing next to the three. _It's hilarious to know that I know secrets no one else knows…_ Dustflash smiled to himself, and Jayfeather only rolled his eyes. _You seriously have to stop doing that to me,_ Dustflash thought again.

Leafpool dropped her two bundles, and went back to the medicine den without another word. But Bramblepaw stayed behind, and he put down the herbs he carried. Looking at his brother, he meowed, "Promise me you'll be back soon." Dustflash swallowed the herbs, ignoring the taste, and looked at his brother.

Dustflash smiled. _It's good to know I have some relationship with my brother,_ he thought. "I promise," Dustflash meowed. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." Roseleaf and Silverpelt padded over as well.

"Don't get lost out there," Roseleaf teased, but her eyes told him that she would miss Dustflash. Then Dustflash also noticed Maplepaw pad over to the group, and she went to Lionblaze.

"Come back soon," Maplepaw meowed, sounding a little shy, and her eyes averted from Lionblaze.

"I will," Lionblaze promised. "Don't worry about me," he continued. _Obviously, those two are already in love,_ Dustflash thought, giving a little smile. _Everyone is going to have to work together for our futures… At least I know that neither of them won't be in the Dark Forest, they have no reason to go._ Jayfeather gave a curious stare towards Dustflash, but Dustflash only shook his head. _I'll explain later,_ Dustflash promised.

"See you later," Dustflash meowed to his mother. Silverpelt smiled, and she touched her nose against Dustflash's, the contact only lasted a heart-beat, and Silverpelt took a step back.

"Yeah," Silverpelt meowed.

Some of the cats were confused by Dustflash's leaving, but no one argued against it. Squirrelflight looked a little confused, but didn't say anything as the group said their quick good-byes.

"If this is as urgent as you said it is," Hollyleaf meowed, "Then let's go. We're wasting daylight." Hollyleaf went towards the entrance, with a little limp in her step. _Hopefully she'll heal a lot more,_ Dustflash blinked, and gave a final goodbye.

Quickly, Dustflash caught up with Hollyleaf, who was already out the entrance. Jayfeather and Lionblaze were both right behind him, and Dustflash meowed, "We're going to have to delay a little longer. Stormstar wants me to deliver a message to Foxstar, probably not to risk losing any more warriors to defend our camp. I have to tell Foxstar to send some warriors, either herself or her deputy, and make a plan with Stormstar so that they can fight the Riverclan-Shadowclan alliance." The three only nodded, and they quickly moved through the forest, careful not to waste any precious time they may have already wasted.

The group didn't speak as they crossed the Windclan border, and noticed one of the patrols. It consisted of Mousepaw, Lakewind, Darkpaw and Onewhisker.

"What are you doing across the border?" Onewhisker asked, while Lakewind and Mousepaw looked a little irritated, while Darkpaw looked at them curiously.

"Sorry for trespassing," Dustflash apologized. "We need to talk to Foxstar, it's urgent."

Onewhisker nodded, and meowed, "Lakewind, take the apprentices and finish the border patrol. I'll take them to Foxstar."

"If you don't mind," Dustflash interrupted, "But we don't have much time. We have to go somewhere, and it could help the clans." Onewhisker nodded, and padded away, motioning with his tail to follow him. They were able to keep a brisk pace, and it didn't take long to enter a dip within the moors that had a bramble barrier. They entered, and Onewhisker called for Foxstar, and Dustflash followed him. "I'll be back, you guys stay here," he meowed to the three. Lionblaze rolled his eyes at Dustflash.

"We aren't here for you to boss around," Lionblaze chuckled. "We are warriors too, you know."

"I know," Dustflash responded. "But it'll be quicker if I can just get a quick word with Foxstar." Padding away, he followed Onewhisker into Foxstar's den, where she was grooming herself. As Dustflash padded in, she looked up and tilted her head in confusion.

"What's going on?" she asked, getting into a normal sitting position.

"Stormstar wants either you or your deputy and a couple others to meet with her and come up with a plan to defeat the Shadowclan-Riverclan alliance," Dustflash explained. "That's all I was sent here to tell you, other than to let you know that Stormstar wants to know if you are completely on board with this alliance."

Foxstar nodded, and meowed, "Fine. Onewhisker," she turned to the brown tom, "Get ready to head to Thunderclan. I'm pretty sure Dustflash can bring you-"

"Not possible," Dustflash interrupted. "I have something important that is too urgent to waste time going back to camp. You could just wait for a border patrol," Dustflash suggested.

"Alright," Foxstar meowed dismissively. "Thunderclan and Windclan against the odds, again," she whispered, barely audible. "Maybe this time, we can win."

 _As long as we don't have a giant mass of cats joining under Blackstar's rule,_ Dustflash thought, remembering the stories of Bloodclan. _The odds are probably in our favor…_ Padding out, Dustflash meowed a goodbye to the Windclan leader, then crossed the camp, spotting two other apprentices. _I think… aren't they Sandpaw and Mintpaw? Flamespirit will be happy to know they're well._ Both apprentices quickly went to another den, which seemed to be the elders den.

He motioned with his tail for Hollyleaf and her littermates to follow. They quickly went out the entrance, and Dustflash could feel the stares of the Windclan cats disappear behind him...

By the time the group slowed down, they were well past clan territory in a place where scents were odd, very different. Stopping at the top of the hill, Dustflash looked back down to the lake, which seemed small now. He could see all the clans territories from up where he stood, Shadowclan's pines, Riverclan's rivers, Windclan's moor, and Thunderclan's oak forest's.

 _It's so beautiful from up here,_ Dustflash thought, and the three stopped, and looked out. Other than Jayfeather, who was probably wondering just how beautiful it actually was.

"Pretty beautiful, is my guess, from the way you guys are acting," Jayfeather meowed.

"You really are annoying," Dustflash joked.

"I try," Jayfeather smiled. "Why do you think I respond sarcastically a lot? I know more than I should, probably." Jayfeather turned around. "Let's get going, and go as far as we can before sunset." He began to pad away, and Lionblaze followed him. Hollyleaf licked Dustflash's ear, and whispered, "Come on," and padded away. Dustflash followed her after giving one last look towards the crystal lake behind them.

 _It'll be awhile before I see the clans again_ , Dustflash thought, smiling. _Maybe things will be better when we get back…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to comment/review! They're always welcome!_

 _We're also about to reach the finale of this book, and then Warriors: Soul will be released!_


	23. Chapter 22

He watched his brother leave in disappointment, wishing that Dustflash would stay with the clan. _Why does he have to go with those three?_ Bramblepaw thought to himself as he sat next to his mother. _It seems weird to me,_ Bramblepaw watched as Dustflash's tail disappeared behind the bramble entrance of Thunderclan, and Jayfeather and Lionblaze followed. _Only a few nights until the half-moon,_ Bramblepaw quickly closed his eyes, imagining what the Shadowclan and Riverclan medicine cats are going to react to the news of being declined with the alliance.

Leafpool beckoned him over from the medicine den, and he nodded, standing up. His paws hit the stone, and he felt slower than normal. _I wonder what Dustflash is thinking, he is one of our best warriors. What is Stormstar thinking letting one of her best warriors go?_ Bramblepaw finally stopped in front of Leafpool, who stared at him with warm, amber eyes.

"You don't want Dustflash to go, don't you?" Leafpool asked.

"No," Bramblepaw meowed. "But it does bother me that Stormstar sent one of our best warriors with three others, who two of them are also considered some of our best, on a journey that no one really knows anything about." Bramblepaw sighed. "It just seems like a bad decision to me, and not because I'll be without my brother…"

"Is this about the dream you had last night?" Leafpool guessed.

Bramblepaw remembered the dream vividly…

 _Bramblepaw had closed his eyes for only but a moment to begin to fall asleep, but he ended up blinking. When his eyes had opened again, he was surrounded by trees, and at his paws, was blood. Fear began to take hold, and Bramblepaw started to run, and he kept running until he found a clear pool of water. Shoving his head in, he wanted to clear himself of the blood._

 _When he pulled his head out of the water, and looked in the reflection, he noticed four cats. One being himself, another was Silverpelt, another Roseleaf, and Dustflash was also in the reflection. They each had something different about themselves. Dustflash had a scratch through his left eye, and it was a pale blue. Roseleaf had a deep scratch on her throat, and even though she looked alive and well, it looked as if she would never be able to speak again, or for a long period of time. Silverpelt had her right ear torn, her nose carried a long scar that stretched all the way to her ear. It was as if another cat had sliced her nose and got to her ear in one stroke of a claw._

 _Then there was himself, his left ear was torn, and his right eye was still pale blue, like it always was. His left eye was still amber. Then he moved his head, and noticed a long scar down the side of his face. Fear had begun to cling to his heart, and he went to run. As he turned around, he was met with a dark tabby._

" _So," a deep voice meowed. "You are the one."_

 _Bramblepaw was met with the dark tabby for the first time. "Who are you?" Bramblepaw whispered._

" _Nothing you need to concern yourself with," the dark tabby meowed._

" _Yes, it is," Bramblepaw insisted, taking a step back and unsheathed his claws._

 _The dark tabby smiled. "I am Tigerstar," he meowed. Bramblepaw felt his heart skip a beat as the name was voiced. His eyes widened in fear as he stared at the dark tabby warrior who had cursed his father and tried so hard to destroy Thunderclan. "I am your grandfather," he continued, "But I'm sure you already know that. Don't you?"_

" _Yeah," Bramblepaw gasped. "I do."_

 _Tigerstar let out a sly smile. "You are what I needed this entire time," he hissed, and went to slice Bramblepaw. Jumping back, Bramblepaw's hind leg caught on a stone, and he fell backwards into the pool of water. His entire head went under the water, and he accidently breathed in. Bramblepaw could feel water fill his lungs, and in under a heart-beat, he felt a pair of claws grab at his pelt and pull. Coming up above the water, he was met with another dark tabby, yet this time, he knew it wasn't Tigerstar._

 _Looking at the tabby, he coughed, and muttered, "Thank you."_

" _Do you know who I am?" the tabby meowed, and Bramblepaw looked up. The cat seemed familiar, and he kinda looked like Bramblepaw._

" _Should I?" Bramblepaw meowed, "At least I know you aren't Tigerstar."_

 _The tabby laughed, and meowed, "I am Bramblestar."_

 _Bramblepaw looked up in surprise at the tabby, and only one question entered his mind first. "How come you've never visited me before? When I've gone to the Moonpool?" Bramblepaw asked, staring at the dead Thunderclan leader._

" _I must apologize," Bramblestar meowed. "I have so much to do in Starclan, especially with the upcoming…" Bramblestar paused. "I'll tell you in a heart-beat," he murmured. "Tell me, how's training going?"_

" _It's going great!" Bramblepaw meowed enthusiastically. "I'm learning so much from Leafpool and about being a medicine cat, and I like helping my clanmates when they are sick or hurt! It makes me feel so much better!"_

" _I never expected anyone of my bloodline joining the medicine cats," Bramblestar meowed. "Normally, my bloodline loves power, and we have had multiple of my family become leaders and deputies. In fact, I think you are the first medicine cat of our bloodline."_

" _Really?" Bramblepaw was surprised. He expected many others to be like him in his family._

" _But then again," Bramblestar continued. "No one has had a mother like yours. Silverpelt… Is she doing okay now?" Bramblestar asked, sadness in his eyes. "I haven't had a chance to actually watch over the clans very much since I joined. Heh, half the time, I'm receiving ominous messages. The other half, I'm warning one cat or another about themselves." Bramblestar chuckled and looked toward the sun. "Consider yourself lucky I was here to save you from Tigerstar."_

 _Bramblepaw looked back towards the pool he came out of, but there was no pool. It was a waterfall that led to a river, heading down a large hill. Bramblepaw didn't know where they were actually were on Starclan's hunting grounds, but it was a beautiful place._

" _Bramblepaw," Bramblestar meowed, looking towards the treeline at the bottom of the hill. "There is an upcoming threat, one the clans won't be prepared for if the clans stay where they are now. Please," Bramblestar looked at Bramblepaw dead in the eye. "Please be careful. Consider this the warning you get, and some fatherly advice that I could never give you. I will try to visit you in dreams more often, especially when the medicine cats go to the Moonpool."_

 _Bramblestar began to fade, and Bramblepaw knew it was useless to try and talk to him now. "Goodbye then, father," Bramblepaw meowed. "See you when I get to the Moonpool… I hope…"_

"Kind of," Bramblepaw replied to his mentor. "In that dream, there was so much blood in the beginning. I may have gotten a good bonding time with my father, but I had to see someone I never thought I'd meet again. And what if those reflections are telling the future?" Bramblepaw asked quietly. "I couldn't bear seeing Dustflash only being able to use one eye."

Leafpool put her tail on Bramblepaw's shoulder. "Everything should be fine," she meowed. "Dustflash is our greatest warrior in the clan, I don't think he'd get an injury that badly." Then Leafpool paused, "But the one thing that bothers me is the part of your dream about Tigerstar. I wonder what he means by 'you're the one he needed'."

"I don't know," Bramblepaw replied, "But whatever it was, I'm afraid to have to be part of it again."

"Well," Leafpool meowed, "you can't live without sleep. Or else you'd be dead, or dying, and would die of that. Although, if Tigerstar needs you for something, then he might kill you while your asleep." Leafpool shook her head. "But I don't think he can affect the living. He's long dead, what true harm can he do?"

 _I feel it's more than you know,_ Bramblepaw thought. "I'm going to go collect catmint," Bramblepaw meowed. "We ran out more than half a moon ago, and we still aren't completely out of leaf-bare yet. If someone gets ill, we'll have no supplies to help them."

Leafpool nodded. "Be careful while you're out there. The ones by the twoleg nest should've grown back by now. Make sure not to bite too low on the stem, or we risk losing the entire plant." Bramblepaw twitched his ear to show he acknowledged his mentor, and he left the camp, off to the abandoned twoleg nest that had burned down…

As Bramblepaw got to the abandoned twoleg nest, he could hear voices in his head. In a heart-beat, pelts were brushing against his, slowly pushing him forward. He recognized only a few of the cats, some from gatherings, yet they seemed younger, more stronger. It was like he was watching ghosts, and he watched them head towards the twoleg nest.

Then they just… disappeared. In only a few heart-beats, they had spawned, started running, and disappeared without a trace. A cold chill went down Bramblepaw's spine, but he continued forward, passing all the catmint he sniffed. Something seemed to draw him forward, and he kept going until all four of his paws were inside the twoleg nest.

Across the charred clearing of debris sat one single cat, and his calico fur color seemed as if it could have been familiar. The tom turned around, and meowed, "I wasn't expecting a visitor. Who might you be?" His amber gaze seemed to burn through Bramblepaw, but he kept himself steady.

"My name is Bramblepaw," Bramblepaw replied, trying not to sound hostile.

"Nice to meet you," the tom meowed. "My name is Sol."

Bramblepaw felt his heart-beat a little bit harder, and his blood rushed to his ears. _Sol?_ Bramblepaw thought, surprised at the name. _What's he still doing in clan territory?_

"I suspect you are here for catmint?" Sol asked, "I am pretty sure you are a medicine cat, are you not?" _He knows more than he should,_ Bramblepaw thought, and went into a fighter's crouch. _Sol hasn't been in Thunderclan since before I was born. How should he know who I am and what role in the clan I play?_ Sol chuckled a little bit, and turned away. "The catmint is something you passed directly on your way in here. Run along now, you shouldn't keep Leafpool waiting. Say hi to Dustflash for me, would you? Oh wait," Sol seemed as if he had come to a realization. "Dustflash went on a journey, isn't that correct?"

 _How does he know that!?_ Bramblepaw thought, and began to take a few steps back. _Not even a couple of our clanmates knew that Dustflash was leaving, let alone an outsider!_ Bramblepaw left, and the last thing he heard from Sol's mouth was a loud chuckle. Picking up some catmint, Bramblepaw ran as fast as he could away from Sol.

Away from the evil that seemed to taint the abandoned twoleg nest…

After the days had passed, Bramblepaw was ready to go to the Moonpool. He had been lucky with getting the catmint, because Ravenpaw had come down with whitecough just the day before. Leafpool had congratulated him with his thinking, especially when she thought that the sickness wouldn't come. _We'll just have to see if Ravenpaw gets better, or contracts greencough,_ Bramblepaw thought that same night.

Now was the time to go to the Moonpool, and Bramblepaw hoped that, even in Starclan, his father wouldn't be so busy. It'd be nice to see Bramblestar again, especially during these tough times that were coming. Bramblepaw could feel that something bad was coming, even if others didn't, he was also almost certain Leafpool could feel it as well…

Stormstar padded into the small medicine den, and meowed, "You guys know what to say, correct?" Her eyes were dull, and Stormstar herself seemed very tired.

"You should get your rest," Leafpool meowed. "Yes, we know to decline."

"Change of plan," Stormstar meowed. "Foxstar's new deputy, Onewhisker, visited yesterday while both of you were out collecting herbs. Foxstar's medicine cat had the idea, and I thought it was a good idea as well. Accept the terms," Stormstar meowed suddenly. "We are planning to attack from the inside, and destroy Shadowclan and Riverclan from the inside. Or at least, destroy their leaders. I feel like we can guarantee that some Riverclan and Shadowclan cats don't agree with their leaders."

Leafpool nodded. "I hate lying to the other medicine cats, but I'll do it. We'll see how Windclan's medicine cat reacts first, thought," Leafpool added. "I want to make sure we're on the same side." Stormstar nodded, and left the den. "Come on, Bramblepaw," she meowed, "Let's go. The other medicine cats will be waiting for us."

Following Leafpool out of the den, he padded toward the entrance to the camp and felt the leaves crunch against his paws. Over the past few days, everything seemed to either move really fast, or really slow. Thunderclan has been awaiting an attack by Blackstar and Shadowclan, but surprisingly, nothing happened.

But that wasn't what bothered Bramblepaw the most, it was the dream he had a few days earlier. Only the beginning of the dream bothered him, when Tigerstar went to kill him. _What was Tigerstar thinking? What exactly does he want me for?_ Bramblepaw had been thinking about this, but no answer would ever hit him. _It's just… Odd…_

By the time Leafpool and Bramblepaw got to the meeting spot where the medicine cats normally met up, the sun was beginning to set. The other medicine cats were waiting for them. Windclan's medicine cat, Flamebreeze, watched the Thunderclan cats, and he definitely seemed somewhat angry. His amber eyes kept away from the other medicine cats.

"You do not have to tell use your answer," Wingflight meowed. "Not until after the Moonpool, anyways," the white and gray she-cat added. "We wouldn't want our time ruined at the Moonpool while visiting our ancestors, would we?" Wingflight made it sound like a threat, but there was sadness behind her green gaze. _Good,_ Bramblepaw sighed. _This isn't going to end well, I know that._

As they padded up the steps of the Moonpool, Bramblepaw felt another pelt brush up against his. Veilpaw, Ravenwhisker's apprentice from Riverclan, padded up to him. "How's training going?" Veilpaw asked, keeping her blue eyes aimed ahead of them.

"Well, between being threatened by an alliance clan and working hard, just fine," Bramblepaw muttered sarcastically. When he looked back to Veilpaw, she seemed a little hurt by the remark of the alliance clan.

"It's not our fault we joined to form an alliance," Veilpaw whispered, her eyes darted towards Wingflight, the Shadowclan medicine cat. "They attacked us, and weakened us. Featherstar only agreed to keep us safe, no other reason." Bramblepaw looked at the apprentice, surprised that she would reveal such a thing.

"So, let's say the other two clans were to stand against Blackstar, Riverclan would join us?" Bramblepaw asked, curious. _If this is true…_

"No," Veilpaw closed her eyes for only but a moment, but Bramblepaw could tell that she was saddened by her own answer. "Featherstar believes that Blackstar has grown in power, too far, and believes that our chances for survival is increased if we stay with him. But I can tell how many lives Featherstar has, and I think it's for her own survival." Veilpaw's white tail flicked with irritation, and Bramblepaw could tell the apprentice was definitely upset.

"I'm surprised," Bramblepaw muttered. "Her chances would increase more if it was three clans against one."

"We've tried to tell her that," Veilpaw insisted. "But Featherstar doesn't agree. There is something about her I can't put my paw on though…" Veilpaw shook her head. "Nevermind, I'm probably wrong anyways." Before Bramblepaw could ask what Veilpaw would be wrong about, she padded away quickly, towards her mentor. _I wonder what she was thinking,_ Bramblepaw thought, and then went up to Leafpool. The medicine cats were oddly quiet as they got into the stone clearing, the Moonpool reflecting the half moon that was rising in the sky.

 _Here goes nothing,_ Bramblepaw thought as he watched the medicine cats lap up the crystal water. Taking a small drink, Bramblepaw felt the water trickle down his throat, and his eyes closed. Keeping his nose slightly touching the water, he drifted into sleep, wondering if Bramblestar would meet him in Starclan.

Or if he would wake up in the Dark Forest.

It was both. Bramblepaw opened his eyes, and noticed his father in front of him, his dark tabby pelt always familiar in Bramblepaw's mind. The stench of blood then hit his nose, and he was already on his paws, fear threatening him to run, or die.

"It's alright, Bramblepaw," Bramblestar meowed calmly, making Bramblepaw feel calmer. "There is just something I need to show you." Bramblestar padded up to a line of bushes, and used his paw to open up a line of sight into another clearing. "Look," he ordered. Bramblepaw peered through the bushes, only to see many cats training. What horrified Bramblepaw was how they were training. Some cats were training in killing blows.

"That goes against our way of life," Bramblepaw whispered as he watched and looked around the clearing. On the other side, he noticed Tigerstar's dark pelt, his amber eyes staring menacingly into the clearing, watching as cats trained.

Then Bramblepaw noticed something else.

The cats who were being trained were cats he had met before. There was Leafblack of Shadowclan, Fallenspirit of Riverclan, Briarcloud of Windclan. He was even surprised to see a Thunderclan cat in the midst of the training. He noticed Slyheart's reddish brown fur training with a dark tabby with ice-blue eyes. _Even our deputy is training with the evil cats,_ Bramblepaw thought darkly. _Can we trust him?_

"Don't pass judgement on them yet," Bramblestar murmured in a low voice. "Some of them haven't done anything wrong yet, they just think they are being trained to help their clanmates. But be careful, some of your own clanmates may be untrustworthy." Bramblestar looked over behind them, and Bramblepaw followed his gaze, and blinked.

Their surroundings had changed, and Bramblepaw was standing on top of the hill that he stood on with Bramblestar in their last dream. "There is nothing else to tell you," Bramblestar meowed. "Other than one thing." Bramblepaw looked up to his father. " _Three will become four…_ " Bramblestar's amber eyes held a lot of emotion behind them as he stared at Bramblepaw.

"Three will become four?" Bramblepaw repeated. "What are you talking about? How do three become four, and what is the three anyway?" Bramblestar only shook his head.

"That, I cannot answer for you," he meowed. "You must discover that for yourself. Give the message to the three when you find out what the three are." Bramblestar smiled. "You are going to do great things, Bramblepaw," he meowed comfortingly towards Bramblepaw. "You have made your father proud. Go home and help those in need, and don't forget to give the answer to those medicine cats." Bramblestar faded, and Bramblepaw nodded. Everything around him began to fade, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the real world…

Bramblepaw awoke, and watched as the other medicine cats began to stir from their dreams. Waiting beside his mentor, he watched as the Riverclan medicine cats woke up, and then Shadowclan's medicine cat opened her eyes. Wingflight's green eyes then turned to Flamebreeze and Leafpool.

"What are your answers?" She meowed, seeming to be lost in thought.

Flamebreeze let out a low growl, and meowed, "Foxstar accepts to your terms."

Bramblepaw's heart began to thump against his chest, and he heard his blood rush to his ears as he waited for Leafpool's voice.

"Stormstar accepts to Blackstar's terms," Leafpool breathed out.

"I'm surprised Stormstar accepts," Wingflight sighed. "Looks like I better tell Blackstar. Come with me, Ravenwhisker, let's speak about the medicine that Shadowpelt might need. I need to figure out the right combination of herbs for his eye, I think it might be infected." Both cats travelled ahead, and Leafpool then went to Flamebreeze.

"The plan is still going through then?" Leafpool whispered, barely audible for Bramblepaw to hear. Flamebreeze nodded, and sighed. They padded a little farther ahead, leaving only Veilpaw and Bramblepaw padding side by side.

They didn't speak until almost the bottom of the hill. The mentors were really far ahead by now, and Veilpaw meowed, "Do you think I could run away to Thunderclan?"

Bramblepaw was surprised at the question, and he meowed, "Probably, why?"

"Riverclan is tearing itself apart, and I know that Thunderclan and Windclan are lying," she whispered. "Stormstar would never agree to Blackstar's terms. They are like fire and ice, they don't go together, and won't stop until the other is gone."

"Fine," Bramblepaw meowed. "Are you bringing anyone with you?"

"No, just me," Veilpaw replied. "I don't know if I trust everyone in my clan, and they probably wouldn't come with me anyway." Veilpaw sighed. "Be by the Windclan border at moon high tomorrow." Veilpaw's mentor began to go left, as they had made it to the Windclan border and lake's edge. "I have to go," Veilpaw meowed quickly, "See you tomorrow." Veilpaw took off, and that left Bramblepaw alone with Leafpool to go to Thunderclan once again.

Following his mentor, Bramblepaw couldn't help but recall Bramblestar's words.

 _Three will become four…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Soon, Warriors: Spirit will be finished and Warriors: Soul will be started, who's ready!?_

 _Don't forget to review/comment what you think about this story, and don't forget to decide Hollyleaf's final decision! It's important!_


	24. Epilogue

"Alright, Fallenspirit," Veilpaw meowed, dropping the thorn onto the ground. "You're good to go. Next time, try not to run into the bramble bushes on the edge of our territory, got it?" Veilpaw looked at the gray tom directly into his dark gray eyes. "I'll leave you to train your apprentice then, which reminds me, can you tell Ripplepaw to come to my den while I go out for herbs?"

"Yeah, I can," Fallenspirit replied as he turned around to leave. Veilpaw watched the dark tabby disappear, and then checked to make sure her mentor, Ravenwhisker, wasn't around. Padding calmly over to the entrance of the camp, she took one last good look at it. _I may not see you for awhile,_ Veilpaw thought. _My hopes lie with the opposing clans, no where else._

Knowing that Windclan probably wouldn't accept her, she took to asking Thunderclan's apprentice medicine cat, Bramblepaw. Veilpaw didn't want to reveal anything to her clanmates or the alliance of Riverclan and Shadowclan she despised so much. Padding along the edge of the river, she found the stepping stones that led across. _Goodbye, Riverclan,_ Veilpaw thought, and looked to the sky.

The sun was setting on the horizon, slowly sinking. On the opposite horizon, the moon was rising, threatening darkness very soon. Skirting along the edge of Windclan territory, Veilpaw travelled the farthest position from the lake, passing a barn after some time. The moon by then had already risen high enough and the sun was gone by then. _It's almost moon high,_ Veilpaw thought. _Definitely no going back now._

As Veilpaw sniffed to relocate where she was, she realized she was on the border of Thunderclan and Windclan territory. Down the border a ways, was a dark tabby, staring at the crystal lake, waiting. _There he is,_ Veilpaw thought and padded over to him.

Bramblepaw, Thunderclan's medicine cat, turned to see Veilpaw, and then gave a couple looks towards the forest. As he came up to her, he meowed, "Let's go, I already told Leafpool about the arrangement, and Stormstar has agreed to have you stay. Temporarily," he added.

"Of course," Veilpaw whispered and padded alongside him.

"The only thing is, don't expect the clan to act like they knew you were coming," Bramblepaw meowed and picked up the pace. "The rest of the clan knows nothing about this, so be prepared to answer some questions."

Veilpaw followed Bramblepaw and could smell a strong scent of Thunderclan. _Here goes nothing…_

 _(Author's Note)_

 _Don't forget to comment/review what you think of this story. I will be releasing the first part to Warriors Book 5: Soul soon!_


End file.
